S3"T2, 


DISCOURSE, 


DELIVERED    ON   THE 


FIRST   CENTENNIAL   ANNIVERSARY 


TABERNACLE    CHURCH, 


SALEM,   MASS.  APRIL  2G,  1835. 


BY    SAMUEL    M.    WORCESTER,   A.  M 

PASTOR   OF   THE   CHURCH. 


SALEM: 

PUBLISHED    BY    HENRY    WHIPPLE. 

1835. 


/ 


DISCOURSE, 


DELIVERED    ON    THE 


FIRST   CENTENNIAL   ANNIVERSARY 


TABERNACLE    CHURCH, 


SALEM,   MASS.  APRIL  2G,  1835. 


BY    SAMUEL    M .    WORCESTER,    A.  M 

PASTOR   OF    THE   CHURCH. 


SALEM : 

PUBLISHED     BY    HENRY     WHIPPLE. 
1835. 


Landmark  Press,  Salem. 


CENTENNIAL   DISCOURSE. 


Psalm  Ixsvi,  2. 
IN  SALEM  ALSO  IS  HIS  TABERNACLE. 

The  leading  purpose  in  the  settlement  of  New 
England,  was  religious.  The  colonists  in  general 
were  men,  who  taught  by  precept  and  example, 
that  the  fear  of  the  lord  is  the  beginning 
of  wisdom. — Among  the  expedients  adopted  by 
the  fathers  of  this  town,  to  secure  an  habitual  rever- 
ence for  evangelical  principles  and  institutions,  was 
a  public  service,  called  Lecture.  In  addition  to 
the  exercises  of  worship  on  the  Lord's  day,  a  dis- 
course was  delivered,  "as  often  as  every  other 
week  at  least,  to  the  good  satisfaction  and  content 
of  the  Church  and  town."* 

Upon  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Curwen  and 
Noyes,  in  1717,  the  Lecture  was  suspended.  But 
soon  after  the  ordination  of  their  successor,  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Fisk,  in  October,  1718,  the  expediency  of 
reviving  it  was  a  topic  of  conversation.  Just  at  the 
close  of  a  meeting  of  the  Church  on  the  25th  of 
December,  the  Pastor  reminded  the  brethren,  that 
they  had  neglected  to  act  upon  the  Lecture.  The 
suggestion  was  made  in  consequence  of  a  vote,  on 
the  15  th,  by  which  they  were  to  consider  at  a  sub- 

*  See  Appendix  A. 


sequent  meeting,  "  what  may  properly  be  done  to- 
wards the  carrying  on  of  a  Lecture  every  other  week 
in  this  place."  At  their  meeting,  however,  on  the 
25th,  much  time  was  consumed  in  disposing  of  the 
request  of  the  brethren  and  sisters  in  the  east  part 
of  the  town,  to  be  dismissed,  with  a  view  to  the 
organization  of  a  new  church.*  So  great  interest 
had  been  taken  in  the  more  important  business  of 
the  meeting,  that  the  subject  of  the  Lecture  proba- 
bly did  not  occur  to  any  of  them,  until  as  they  were 
preparing  to  disperse,  the  Pastor  remarked,  "Breth- 
ren, you  forget  part  of  our  business"  When  some 
asked  what  it  was,  he  answered,  "  The  considering 
of  some  methods  for  the  having  a  Lecture"  There 
were  various  remarks,  no  doubt,  expressive  of  the 
wishes  of  the  members  of  the  church ;  some  choos- 
ing to  act  then  upon  the  subject,  and  others  to  defer 
it  to  a  more  favorable  opportunity.  In  the  minutes 
which  the  Pastor  made  of  the  doings  of  the  meeting, 
we  find  the  following  vote :  "  That  the  brethren  of 
this  Church  will  privately  speedily  consider  of  some 
proper  method  to  revive  a  Lecture  in  this  place  — 
and  when  they  are  prepared,  a  number  of  them 
shall  repair  to  the  Pastor,  and  pray  him  to  call  a 
meeting  further  to  prosecute  the  vote  passed  in  the 
last  church  meeting  concerning  a  Lecture."  Whe- 
ther this  vote  was  entered  upon  the  records  with 
the  other  votes  of  the  meeting,  at  the  same  time,  or 
some  years  afterwards ;  and  whether  any  such  vote 
was  ever  passed  by  the  Church,  ultimately  became 
questions  of  serious  import,  in  their  bearings  and 
consequences. 

*  See  Appendix  B. 


If  the  vote  was  passed  by  the  Church,  it  is  unac- 
countable that  there  should  have  been  no  action 
upon  it.  That  the  Church  did  not  again  consider 
the  point,  is  evident  from  the  records  and  from  pri- 
vate testimony. 

The  Pastor,  however,  must  have  become  satisfied 
of  the  wishes  of  the  people  to  have  the  Lecture  re- 
vived :  for,  about  two  months  after  the  meeting  of 
December  25th,  he  revived  it.  By  the  aid  of  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  Prescott  and  Stanton,  he  sustained  it 
to  good  acceptance,  until  February,  1726.  He  then 
discontinued  it,  and  publicly  assigned  as  reasons, 
that  "it  was  more  for  the  honor  of  religion  to  have 
no  Lecture,  than  one  so  poorly  attended ;  and  that 
it  was  discouraging  to  preach  to  bare  walls."  This 
communication  produced  much  uneasiness.  Indi- 
viduals and  committees  repeatedly  waited  upon  the 
Pastor,  entreating  him  "  to  set  up  the  Lecture  again, 
according  to  the  practice  and  laudable  custom  of  the 
First  Parish  in  Salem."  He  took  different  ground 
at  different  times,  in  opposition  to  their  votes  and 
wishes,  and  resolutely  maintained  his  purpose  of 
non-compliance.  His  method  of  proceeding  is  a 
striking  illustration  of  the  practicability  of  so  adher- 
ing to  "  letter"  and  "  form,"  as  to  set  the  claims  of 
equity  at  defiance.  Meanwhile  those  members  of 
the  Church,  who  felt  particularly  aggrieved  by  the 
Pastor's  conduct,  refrained  from  appearing  in  the 
First  Church  at  the  table  of  the  Lord,  and  took 
other  measures  to  evince  their  dissatisfaction  and 
unhappiness. 

At  length,  in  the  early  part  of  1728,  an  article 
was  inserted  in  the  warrant  for  a  Parish  Meeting, 


"  to  consider  what  further  may  be  proper  in  order 
to  reviving  the  Lecture."  Hearing  of  this,  the  Pas- 
tor soon  preached  a  sermon  from  Eccles.  5 :  4 — 6. 
In  enforcing  the  obligation  of  vows,  he  adverted  to 
the  sin  of  the  church  in  neglecting  the  vote  of  Dec. 
25,  1718,  to  revive  the  Lecture  !  This  was  a  most 
unexpected  and  astounding  accusation.  It  was  a 
perilous  effort  to  fasten  upon  the  Church  the  very 
responsibility  and  blame,  which  for  two  years  had 
been  charged  upon  him.  A  warm  controversy  im- 
mediately ensued.  The  "aggrieved  brethren"  de- 
nied that  the  Church  ever  passed  any  such  vote,  as 
that  to  which  the  Pastor  referred ;  and,  therefore, 
they  intimated  or  affirmed,  that  what  purported  to 
be  such  a  vote,  was  a  forgery  and  an  interpolation. 
And  it  may  be  added  here,  that  in  the  Result  of  a 
large  council  convened  in  July,  1 733,  it  is  stated : 
"  That  we  are  much  affected  to  find  such  grounds 
for  a  strong  presumption  of  the  interpolation  charged 
upon  the  Pastor,  and  that  the  aggrieved  have  so 
much  reason  to  fear  that  the  vote  is  not  genuine." 

In  a  communication  bearing  date  March  16,  1731, 
the  aggrieved  brethren  laid  before  the  Pastor,  "  the 
principal  matters  of  their  offence."  This  expression 
the  Pastor  considered  "  as  necessarily  implying  that 
there  were  other  matters,  though  less  principal,  at 
which  they  were  offended."  He  demanded  of  them, 
that  they  should  either  state  the  whole,  or  should 
give  him  assurance,  that  the  grievances  already  al- 
leged, "  should  be  the  alone  subject  of  consideration." 
The  brethren  disclaimed  all  intention  of  reserving 
any  "matters"  for  future  disputes,  and  expressed 
their  readiness  "  to  bury  in  oblivion  those  less  prin- 


cipal  matters  (which  he  thought  necessarily  implied) 
when  he  had  given  them  the  satisfaction  due  to  them 
as  men  and  Christians,  upon  the  articles  already  ex- 
hibited." With  this  reply  the  Pastor  was  not  satis- 
fied. 

Having  tried  in  vain  to  induce  the  Pastor  to  call 
a  Church  meeting  for  an  investigation  and  settle- 
ment of  the  difficulties,  the  aggrieved  brethren  soli- 
cited advice  from  some  of  the  neighboring  clergy. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Fisk  and  his  friends,  consisting  of  a 
majority  of  the  Church  and  Society,  utterly  refused 
to  listen  to  any  advice  or  admonition  from  sister 
churches.  An  ex-parte  council  was  convened  in 
July,  1733,  and  justified  the  aggrieved  brethren; 
but  advised  them  to  return  to  the  communion  of  the 
Church  and  seek  earnestly  for  a  healing  of  their 
divisions. 

The  divisions  were  not  healed,  and  no  hope  of 
reconciliation  remained.  In  accordance,  therefore, 
with  the  provisions  of  the  Cambridge  Platform,  twen- 
ty-one aggrieved  brethren,  on  the  20th  of  December 
following,  invited  the  Second  Church  in  Boston  to 
deal  with  the  First  Church  in  Salem,  agreeable  to 
the  third  way  of  communion,  because,  as  they  would 
not  settle  their  difficulties,  they  were  guilty  of  walk- 
ing disorderly.*  The  Rev.  Messrs.  Mather  and  Gee 
of  the  Second  Church  in  Boston,  attended  to  the 
subject,  in  a  regular  and  christian  manner.  Finding 
Mr.  Fisk  immovable,  steadfastly  denying  the  author- 
ity of  other  churches  to  interfere  in  the  concerns  of 
the  First  Church  in  Salem,  they  addressed  a  letter 
of  admonition  to  this  Church,  as  the  first  leading 

*  See  Appendix  C. 


8 

step  of  discipline.    Pursuant  to  the  second  step  with 
an  offending  church,  a  council  of  four  churches  was 
convened  in  April,  1734.    The  First  Church  treated 
their  proceedings  with  absolute  contempt.     They 
left  an  admonitory  epistle  and  closed  the  session. 
The  four  churches,  whose  representatives  had  at- 
tempted in  vain  "  to  heal  the  scandalous  divisions," 
now  made  arrangements  for  the   convention  of  a 
very  large  and  formidable  council.     Twenty-seven 
churches,  having  thirty  ministers,  were  invited  to 
meet  at  Salem,  July  1 6.     Nineteen  of  these  church- 
es sent  their  delegates.     In  consequence  of  some 
difference  of  opinion  upon  the  course  to  be  pursued, 
a  few  of  the  council  withdrew.     In  their  Result  the 
council    confirmed    the    proceedings   of    the    four 
churches.     A  letter  of  advice  to  the  First  Church 
was  adopted,  and  the  council  adjourned  to  meet 
October  15.     Mr.  Fisk  and  his  friends  were  advised 
to  close  the  controversy  with  the  aggrieved  breth- 
ren, during  the  adjournment,  and,  in  failure  of  the 
same,  were   threatened  with  the   highest   censure 
which   the   churches  composing   the  council  were 
able  to  inflict.     The  advice  was  still  in  vain.     Ac- 
cordingly the  council,  at  their  adjourned  meeting, 
voted,  that  the  First  Church  in  Salem  had  forfeited 
the  privilege  of  communion  with  the  churches  rep- 
resented in  their  body.     The  sentence  of  non-com- 
munion, however,  was  delayed  for  three  months. 
It  then  went  into  effect ;  and  the  churches  of  New 
England  were  called  to  witness  the  singular  spec- 
tacle of  a  sister  church  excluded  from  the  pale  of 
fellowship. 

On  the  18th  of  April,  1735,  the  party  dissatisfied 


9 

with  Mr.  Fisk,  voted  to  dismiss  him,  and  to  hire 
Samuel  Mather,  of  Boston,  to  supply  their  pulpit. 
And  in  the  forenoon  on  the  last  Sabbath  of  the 
month,  Mr.  Fisk  was  forcibly  prevented  from  preach- 
ing. In  the  afternoon,  while  attempting  to  conduct 
the  services  as  usual,  he  was  so  disturbed  by  the 
uproar  and  confusion  of  the  assembly,  that  he  was 
compelled  to  leave  the  house.  The  civil  authorities 
laid  him  under  bonds  to  keep  the  peace  until  the 
session  of  court.  Never  again  did  he  make  an  effort 
to  occupy  his  pulpit.  Accompanied  by  three  fourths 
at  least,  of  the  Church  and  Society,  he  abandoned 
the  house  of  worship  to  the  aggrieved  brethren  and 
their  associates.  That  a  minority  should  thus  be 
able  to  triumph,  is  easily  explained,  when  we  con- 
sider how  much  moral  power  was  wielded  by  an 
Ecclesiastical  Council,  whose  decision  was  just,  and 
whose  sentence  was  ratified  by  the  voice  of  public 
opinion.  The  majority  of  the  First  Church  were 
under  the  ban  of  excommunication  according  to  the 
'Third  way  of  Communion.'  The  churches  gener- 
ally, though  not  unanimously,  approved  the  measure. 
Not  only  so,  but  the  Colonial  Legislature  sanctioned 
the  votes  of  the  aggrieved  party,  and  cut  off  Mr.  F. 
and  his  friends  from  all  hope  of  relief.  Such  was 
the  energy  and  the  efficiency  of  Congregationalism, 
one  hundred  years  since  !  And  such  was  the  origin 
of  the  Church  and  Society  now  worshipping  in  the 
Tabernacle ! 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Fisk  and  his  friends  proceeded  to 

establish    themselves   upon    a  separate   foundation. 

Neither  the  day  nor  the  month  can  be  ascertained 

when  they  determined  upon  this  measure,  or  when 

2 


10 

they  consummated  their  determination  by  any  for- 
mal process.  They  doubtless  assembled  under  the 
pastoral  charge  of  Mr.  Fisk,  from  the  time  that  they 
were  expelled  from  their  former  sanctuary. 

They  soon  commenced  a  house  for  their  accom- 
modation. The  frame  was  at  first  located  so  near 
to  the  house  of  the  First  Church,  that  they  were 
compelled  by  order  of  the  Colonial  Assembly  to  re- 
move it.*  The  new  house  was  completed  early  in 
1736.  There  Mr.  Fisk  officiated.  His  adherents 
claimed  the  title  of  First  Church,  and  gave  the  name 
of  "  Confederate  Church"  to  that  which  was  formed 
by  the  aggrieved  brethren. 

Early  in  1744,  the  Church  were  called  to  consid- 
er a  proposal  of  the  Pastor  to  be  furnished  with  a 
colleague.  His  memorial  upon  the  subject  induced 
them  to  take  counsel  of  the  ministers  in  the  vicinity. 
The  result  of  their  consultations  was  a  decision  in 
favor  of  settling  a  new  Pastor,  but  not  as  a  colleague. 
By  vote  of  February  1,  1744,  "the  deacons  were 
authorised  to  procure  occasional  preaching  for  the 
church  and  congregation." 

When  it  appeared  certain  that  Mr.  Fisk's  minis- 
terial connexion  would  soon  be  dissolved,  several 
letters  passed  between  his  Church  and  the  Confed- 
erate Church,  then  under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Sparhawk,  relative  to  an  accommodation.  But  the 
parties  were  unable  to  come  to  terms  of  agreement. 
We  find  also,  that  sometime  in  the  summer  of  this 
year,  "  the  Church  set  apart  a  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer  with  respect  to  their  intended  settlement  of 
a  Pastor  in  Mr.  Fisk's  room." 

*  See  Appendix  D. 


11 

In  April,  1745,  Mr,  Dudley  Leavitt  was  invited 
by  the  Church  to  become  their  Pastor.  He  was 
unwilling  to  accept  the  invitation,  while  the  pastoral 
connexion  of  Mr.  Fisk  continued.  The  Church, 
therefore,  after  suitable  counsel,  voted  on  the  30th 
of  July,  that  the  Pastor  be  "  discharged  from  his 
ecclesiastical  relation."  And  the  congregation,  at  a 
meeting  on  the  12th  of  August,  passed  a  vote  in 
concurrence  with  the  church.  The  "  call "  to  Mr. 
L.  was  then  renewed  by  the  church  and  the  con- 
gregation. 

They  had  now  become  fully  sensible  of  their  er- 
ror in  adhering  to  Mr.  Fisk,  in  opposition  to  the 
Christian  advice  and  solemn  admonition  of  the 
churches,  which  had  dealt  with  them  previous  to  the 
separation.  Happy  were  they  to  avail  themselves 
of  the  aid  of  sister  churches,  to  extricate  them  from 
the  embarrassments  and  disasters  into  which  they 
had  been  plunged,  by  their  obstinate  defiance  of 
what  they  had  pronounced  unscriptural  and  unau- 
thorized interference.  They  made  a  humble  con- 
fession, and  the  sentence  of  non-communion  was 
rescinded.  The  way  was  then  prepared  for  the 
ordination  of  Mr.  Leavitt. 

A  council  was  convened  for  this  purpose,  Oct.  2, 
1745.  After  examining  various  papers  submitted  to 
them,  they  adjourned  to  the  23d  of  the  same  month, 
and  then  re-assembled,  with  an  enlargement  of  their 
number.  Although  Mr.  Fisk  and  several  of  his 
brethren  objected,  the  council  voted  to  proceed  to 
the  services  of  ordination  on  the  next  day. 

When,  however,  the  services  commenced,  the 
officiating  clergyman  was  most  rudely  interrupted. 


12 

There  was  such  an  outrageous  tumult,  that  the 
council  retired  from  the  house,  and  Mr.  Leavitt  was 
ordained  under  a  tree  in  a  field  or  garden.* 

Mr.  Fisk  was  a  man  of  distinguished  abilities.  But 
the  principles  of  ecclesiastical  government  for  which 
he  contended,  were  at  war  with  the  established 
usages  of  Congregationalism  ;  and,  as  applied  by 
himself,  would  expose  the  churches  to  all  the  evils 
of  anarchy  in  general  and  despotism  in  particular. 
Aggrieved  minorities  could  have  no  possible  redress 
or  relief. 

Of  the  state  of  the  Church  and  Society,  during 
the  ministry  of  Mr.  Fisk,  we  have  no  particular  in- 
formation. The  records  of  eight  years  were  in  his 
hands,  and  they  have  never  yet  been  found.f 

Mr.  Leavitt's  ministry  was  prosperous.  He  was  a 
man  of  sound  orthodox  sentiments,  and  the  Church 
became  more  and  more  Calvinistic  under  his  preach- 
ing.! His  memory  was  very  precious  to  those  who 
had  enjoyed  his  ministrations.  He  died  February  7, 
1762. 

During  his  life,  repeated  unsuccessful  attempts 
were  made  to  settle  the  differences  between  this 
Church  and  that  from  which  they  had  separated. 
Soon  after  his  decease  the  object  was  accomplished. || 
The  title  of  First  Church  was  relinquished  to  the 
Confederate  Church,  and  the  Confederate  Church, 
on  their  part,  surrendered  a  portion  of  the  plate  and 
other  property.  From  August  2,  1 762,  this  Church 
was  called  "  the  Church  of  which  Rev.  Dudley 
Leavitt  was  late  Pastor,"  until  May  23,  1763,  when 
by  a  formal  vote,  the  Church  assumed  the  name  of 

*  See  Appendix  K.       f  fee  Appendix  F.       f  See  Appendix  G.      ||  See  Appendix  H. 


13 

Third  Church.  Thus  the  controversy,  which  in  di- 
vers forms,  had  been  protracted  through  more  than 
thirty  years,  was  brought  to  a  close.  Such  was  the 
harmony  between  the  two  churches,  that  when  the 
Rev.  John  Huntington  was  ordained  as  the  Pastor 
of  the  Third  Church,  he  received  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship  from  the  Rev.  Thomas  Barnard  of  the 
First  Church. 

Mr.  Huntington's  ministry  commenced  on  the 
28th  of  September,  1763.  It  was  of  brief  duration. 
His  health  soon  failed ;  and  in  less  than  three  years 
from  the  time  of  his  ordination,  his  people  were 
overwhelmed  with  the  sorrows  of  pastoral  bereave- 
ment. Of  all  the  ministers  who  have  labored  in  this 
town,  no  one  was  ever  more  distinguished  for  love- 
liness of  disposition  and  fervor  of  piety.  His  sun 
went  down  at  an  early  hour ;  but  its  mild  and  be- 
nignant radiance  left  an  unfading  impression  of  moral 
beauty  upon  many  hearts. 

Dr.  Nathaniel  Whitaker  succeeded  Mr.  Hunting- 
ton. When  he  had  received  the  invitation  of  the 
Church  and  Society  to  take  the  oversight  of  them  in 
the  Lord,  he  prescribed  certain  important  conditions 
of  settlement.  One  of  these  was,  that  a  new  form 
of  church  government  should  be  substituted  for  the 
Congregational ;  and  another,  that  he  should  enter 
upon  his  duties  without  the  accustomed  ceremonies 
of  installation.     The  conditions  were  accepted. 

The  28th  of  July,  1769,  was  appointed  for  public 
services  at  the  commencement  of  his  ministry  here, 
and  several  clergymen  were  invited  by  the  Church 
to  be  present,  "  as  friends  to  the  Society  and  the 
common  cause  of  religion."     The  Rev.  Messrs.  Di- 


14 

mond,  Barnard,  and  Holt  declined  giving  their  coun- 
tenance to  such  an  irregular  proceeding.  In  a  very 
friendly  letter  they  remonstrated  against  the  course.* 
But  the  people  were  so  charmed  with  the  man  of 
their  choice,  that  they  went  forward  as  if  under  the 
reckless  impulse  of  infatuation.  After  a  sermon  by 
the  Pastor  elect,  one  of  the  members  of  the  Church 
read  the  invitation  which  had  been  given  to  him  to 
settle  with  them  in  the  ministry,  and  the  Pastor  read 
his  answer  to  the  invitation.  In  this  manner  was 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Whitaker  inducted  into  his  office  as 
Pastor  of  this  Church  !  Dazzled  by  the  brilliancy  of 
his  intellect  and  eloquence ;  captivated  "  by  fair 
words  and  goodly  speeches,"  they  threw  up  their 
ecclesiastical  liberties,  and  took  upon  their  necks  a 
yoke  of  bondage,  which  they  soon  found  to  be  griev- 
ous beyond  endurance. 

The  Constitution  of  Church  Government  present- 
ed by  Dr.  Whitaker  in  the  Articles  of  Agreement 
between  him  and  the  Church,  was  essentially  Pres- 
byterian. It  went  beyond  Presbyterianism,  by  giv- 
ing to  the  Pastor  a  right  to  negative  the  votes  of  the 
elders  and  of  the  whole  Church.  On  the  contrary, 
it  fell  short  of  Presbyterianism,  by  providing  for  a 
reference  of  difficulties  to  congregational  councils, 
until  a  stated  Judicature  should  be  determined. 
That  this  Judicature  was  intended  by  Dr.  W.  to  be 
a  Presbytery,  is  evident  from  the  measures  which 
he  took  in  1774,  to  bring  the  Church  under  the 
Boston  Presbytery. 

Hardly  had  the  Church  begun  to  experience  the 
effects  of  the  new  mode  of  administration,  when  a 

*  See  Appendix  I. 


15 

very  respectable  number  were  aroused  to  make  a 
determined  effort  to  return  to  the  former  state. 
They  endeavored,  but  ineffectually,  to  avail  them- 
selves of  an  article  in  the  Constitution  by  which  the 
existing  government  might  be  modified  or  abolished. 
Some  proposals,  however,  were  made  by  the  Pastor 
to  prevent  "  the  fourteen  uneasy  brethren"  from 
prosecuting  their  opposition.  Those  members  of 
the  Church  who  preferred  to  be  governed  by  the 
Constitution,  and  those  who  chose  the  Cambridge 
Platform,  were  to  have  their  option.  The  Pastor 
was  to  preside  at  the  meetings  of  each  party  in  the 
Church.  He  was  not  to  have  the  power  to  negative 
any  votes  of  such  meetings  ;  neither  ivas  he  to  be 
obliged  to  execute  any  judgment  which  they  should 
make,  unless  he  should  think  best ! 

It  is  amazing  that  Dr.  Whitaker  should  have  sup- 
posed it  possible,  that  a  Church  wrould  consent  to 
be  thus  virtually  divided  into  two  bodies,  or  that  the 
aggrieved  brethren  would  be  ensnared  by  such  a 
frivolous  artifice.  They  replied  to  him  with  great 
force,  and  not  a  little  of  stinging  severity.  At  the 
close  of  their  letter,  bearing  date  Nov.  18,  1773, 
they  express  "  their  earnest  desire,  that  his  plan  of 
Church  Government  be  totally  demolished ;  and  that 
the  Church  be  allowed  to  return  and  rest  upon  the 
stable  basis  of  pure  and  unmixed  Congregational- 
ism."* 

It  was  not  long  before  these  brethren  proposed  to 
the  Pastor  to  take  a  dismission  from  the  Church. 
He  at  first  waived  the  subject,  being  as  unwilling  to 
resign  his  office,  as  to  demolish  his  favorite  Consti- 

*  See  Appendix  J. 


16 

tution  of  Church  Government.  If  at  this  time  the 
brethren  had  demanded  a  Congregational  Council, 
they  would  have  acted  in  full  accordance  with  the 
terms  upon  which  that  Constitution  was  received 
by  the  Church. 

Having,  by  an  adroit  and  clandestine  process,  plac- 
ed the  Church  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Boston 
Presbytery,  he  purposed  to  bring  the  subject  before 
that  body,  in  May,  1774.*  His  plan  did  not  suc- 
ceed. In  September,  the  Presbytery  held  a  meet- 
ing in  this  place.  They  recommended  a  reference 
of  the  difficulties  to  a  mutual  council,  consisting 
equally  of  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists. 
The  recommendation  was  not  accepted ;  and  in 
consequence,  the  fourteen  aggrieved  brethren  were 
dismissed  from  the  Church  by  an  act  of  the  Pres- 
bytery. It  may  be  added  here,  that  these  brethren 
were  in  February  of  1775,  regularly  constituted  a 
Congregational  Church.  Hence  the  origin  of  the 
Church  now  under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Em- 
erson.f 

When  the  new  Church  was  formed,  a  very  res- 
pectable Society  soon  surrounded  and  sustained  the 
brethren.  Reports  unfavorable  to  Dr.  Whitaker's 
moral  character,  were  so  current  and  so  credible, 
that  his  congregation  constantly  decreased. 

It  should  also  be  mentioned,  that  it  was  only  a 
few  months  before  the  formation  of  the  new  church, 
that  the  meeting  house  erected  for  Mr.  Fisk  in 
1735-6,  was  entirely  consumed.  Nothing  but  the 
pulpit  bible  and  cushion  were  saved  from  the  flames. 

By  very  great  efforts,  the  frame  of  the  present 

*  See  Appendix  K.  f  See  Appendix  L. 


17 

house  was  erected  in  1776.  It  was  covered,  and 
pews  were  made  in  1777.  But  it  was  without  gal- 
leries, without  pulpit,  and  without  even  plaistering 
upon  the  walls.  In  this  condition,  so  emblematic  of 
the  miserable  circumstances  of  the  people,  it  was 
then  dedicated  as  a  house  of  God.  It  was  fashioned 
after  the  model  of  Whitefield's  Tabernacle  in  Lon- 
don, and  received  its  name  in  honor  of  his  memory. 
He  had  preached  for  Dr.  Whitaker  but  a  short  time 
before  his  sudden  decease  at  Newburyport.  Dr. 
Whitaker  when  in  England  a  few  years  previous  to 
his  settlement  in  Salem,  had  also  received  marked 
attentions  from  some  of  the  most  intimate  friends 
and  patrons  of  this  eminent  evangelist.  Soon  after 
Whitefield's  death,  he  rendered  an  appropriate  tri- 
bute to  his  character  in  two  very  able  Sermons. 
And  when  the  present  house  was  opened  for  the 
worship  of  God,  he  gave  it  the  name  which  has  ever 
since  designated  the  edifice,  the  Church,  and  the 
Society. 

Dr.  Whitaker's  feelings  were  much  enlisted  in 
the  revolutionary  contest.  By  his  sermons  he  en- 
deavored to  animate  the  people  to  great  exertion, 
and  in  various  other  ways,  some  of  which  were  very 
unclerical,  he  labored  to  promote  the  cause  of  Ame- 
rican Independence.  While  thus  engaged  in  other 
employments  than  those  which  pertained  to  the 
warfare  of  a  soldier  of  the  cross,  his  christian  char- 
acter became  more  and  more  questionable. 

In  the  autumn  of  1783,  the  Church  were  com- 
pelled to  investigate  the  current  reports,  so  unfavor- 
able to  their  Pastor.  They  had  long  been  accus- 
tomed to  frown  upon  them  with  indignant  contempt. 


18 

They  now  applied  to  Dr.  Whitaker  to  take  some 
proper  measures  to  relieve  himself  and  the  Church 
from  the  stigma  of  general  reproach.  They  were 
answered  with  severe  rebuke,  and  were  bidden  to 
continue  their  attendance  upon  his  ministry ;  mean- 
while preparing  their  charges  and  proof,  if  they 
pleased  to  present  the  case  before  the  Presbytery. 

Of  the  Presbytery  Dr.  Whitaker  himself  was  the 
moderator.  It  consisted  of  but  a  very  few  ministers ; 
and  not  more  than  two  or  three  of  them  had  any 
pastoral  charge.  They  were  to  meet  at  Groton  in 
June  of  the  next  year.  The  length  of  time  which 
must  elapse  before  the  Church  could  have  a  hearing, 
the  distance  of  the  place  of  meeting,  and  the  conse- 
quent inconvenience  and  expense  of  appearing  there 
with  the  requisite  committee  and  witnesses,  and  the 
improbability  of  obtaining  an  impartial  and  righteous 
adjudication,  filled  the  minds  of  all  who  were  spe- 
cially interested,  with  impatient  dissatisfaction  and 
painful  solicitude.  Besides,  the  number  of  worship- 
pers in  the  Tabernacle  diminished  with  such  appall- 
ing rapidity,  that  the  building  soon  became  a  fright- 
ful picture  of  moral  desolation.  According  to  the 
testimony  of  a  venerable  member  of  the  Church,* 
still  living  among  us,  and  to  "whom  I  am  much  in- 
debted in  the  compilation  of  this  narrative,  "  the 
whole  congregation,  except  the  families  of  three  in- 
dividuals, had  scattered  themselves  among  other  re- 
ligious assemblies." 

The  attention  of  the  Church  was  now  directed  in 
solemn  earnest,  to  the  nature  and  tendency  of  that 
form  of  government,  by  which  they  were  so  embar- 

*  See  Appendix  M. 


19 

rassed  and  afflicted.  The  result  of  their  delibera- 
tions was  a  full  persuasion  of  the  expediency  of 
returning  to  the  privileges  of  Congregationalism. 
Wishing  to  have  a  regular  action  upon  the  subject, 
they  requested  the  Pastor  to  warn  a  Church  meet- 
ing. This  was  refused.  A  meeting  was  then  called 
by  the  elders.  Votes  were  passed,  abjuring  all  al- 
legiance to  any  Presbyterian  authority,  adopting  the 
mode  of  administration  prescribed  by  the  Cambridge 
Platform,  and  inviting  a  Council  to  inquire  whether 
the  Pastor  had  not  forfeited  his  office,  by  his  disor- 
derly life. 

When  the  Council  assembled,  they  made  some 
investigation  of  the  subjects  referred  to  them,  and 
then  proposed  to  Dr.  Whitaker  to  unite  with  the 
Church  in  a  mutual  Council,  consisting  equally  of 
Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists.  He  would 
listen  to  no  such  proposal,  and  utterly  refused  to 
acknowledge  their  title  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  the 
case.  They  met  on  the  10th  of  February,  1784, 
and  adjourned  to  meet  on  the  24th.  Their  Result 
vindicates  the  right  of  the  Church  to  appeal  to  a 
Congregational  Council,  confirms  the  doings  of  the 
Church  in  renouncing  Presbyterian  government,  and 
declares  Dr.  Wliitaker's  connexion  with  the  Taber- 
nacle to  be  dissolved.* 

This  Result  was  hailed  with  great  satisfaction 
throughout  the  community.  Dr.  Whitaker's  labors 
were  brought  to  a  close  on  the  25  th  of  March.  The 
doors  of  the  Tabernacle  were  barred  against  him. 
Such  was  now  the  situation  of  the  man  who,  in  1769, 
was  settled  by  acclamation.     It  is  true,  that  the 

*  See  Appendix  N. 


20 

Presbytery  at  Groton,  in  June  following,  honored 
him  as  their  head,  and  listened  to  him  as  their  father. 
They  excommunicated  the  Tabernacle  Church,  and 
gave  Dr.  Whitaker  a  certificate  of  their  approbation 
and  confidence.*  He  also  obtained  from  the  Pro- 
prietors of  the  Tabernacle  a  considerable  sum  of 
money,  as  an  award  for  alleged  losses  and  arrearages 
during  his  ministry  here. 

My  heart  has  bled  within  me,  while  I  have  been 
contemplating  this  disastrous  period  of  our  history. 
In  the  lapse  of  fifteen  years,  the  Church  had  been 
dismembered,  and  but  few  had  been  admitted  to 
supply  the  places  of  those,  who,  for  various  reasons, 
sought  the  privilege  of  communion  and  fellowship 
elsewhere.  No  special  season  of  revival  was  enjoy- 
ed, while  Dr.  Whitaker  was  connected  with  the 
Church,  unless  we  may  so  consider  the  interest 
awakened  by  the  faithful  preaching  of  an  earnest 
young  clergyman,  who  supplied  the  pulpit  for  a  few 
weeks,  in  the  absence  of  the  Pastor.  His  labors 
were  evidently  blessed  of  the  Lord,  and  one  among 
us  still  lives  to  remember  him  with  special  gratitude. 

The  immediate  predecessors  of  Dr.  Whitaker, 
were  men  of  devoted  piety.  They  spake  boldly  in 
the  name  of  Jesus.  And  their  daily  example  gave 
a  delightful  witness  of  the  sincerity  and  fervor  of 
their  faith.  Such  was  the  divine  seal  of  blessing 
upon  their  ministry,  that  in  1 770  this  congregation 
embraced  380  families  and  1900  souls, — a  greater 
number  than  can  now  be  enrolled  as  connected  with 
the  Tabernacle.  When,  however,  Dr.  Whitaker 
was  ejected  from  his  office  in  1784,  the  great  and 

*  F'cp  Appendix  O. 


21 

flourishing  Society  had  dwindled  to  the  merest 
handful.  It  may  be  questioned  whether  the  eccle- 
siastical records  of  New  England  furnish  a  parallel 
to  the  scenes  of  disaster,  which  I  have  but  faintly 
delineated. 

The  personal  character  of  Dr.  Whitaker  was  made 
the  occasion  of  much  reproach  upon  evangelical 
Christianity.  Its  professors  were  sometimes  hooted 
in  the  streets.  Many  there  were,  who  like  the  foes 
of  Zion  in  the  days  of  the  Psalmist,  cried,  "  Aha, 
Aha."  To  add  to  all  these  grievances  and  agonies, 
the  Proprietors  of  the  Tabernacle  were  burdened 
with  a  debt,  which  had  well  nigh  crushed  them.  If 
it  had  not  been  for  the  resources  and  generous  spirit 
of  a  single  individual,  whose  pecuniary  circumstances 
have  since  felt  the  blight  of  misfortune,  it  is  doubtful 
whether  the  Tabernacle  Society  would  not  have  lost 
forever  its  organized  existence.* 

The  little  remnant  of  the  Church  did  not  utterly 
despair,  that  the  day  of  small  things  would  eventu- 
ally usher  in  a  period  of  spiritual  enlargement  and 
rejoicing.  They  often  met  in  a  private  room  to  take 
counsel  together,  and  make  supplication  to  the  Most 
High.  Even  here  they  were  frequently  disturbed 
and  insulted.  But  they  laid  hold  on  the  promises, 
and  the  Lord  heard  their  prayers. 

Within  a  few  months  after  Dr.  Whitaker's  dismis- 
sion, the  Tabernacle  was  again  open  for  worship. 
Each  of  the  members  of  the  Council  of  February 
10th  and  24th,  gave  his  services  for  a  Sabbath. 
Occasional  preaching  was  then  hired,  until  March, 
1785.      The   congregation,    which   at   first   hardly 

*  See  Appendix  P. 


22 

equalled  the  pews  in  number,  now  began  to  exhibit 
indications  of  returning  strength.  Still,  it  is  said, 
that  of  all  who  had  rejoined  the  Tabernacle,  not 
more  than  seventeen  owned  any  part  of  a  pew.  And 
beside  the  influence  of  local  causes  to  create  a  pecu- 
niary embarrassment  in  the  Society,  it  should  be 
remembered,  that  the  whole  community  was  suffer- 
ing under  that  dreadful  scarcity  of  money  and  credit 
which  was  one  of  the  immediate  consequences  of 
the  war  of  Independence. 

It  will  not  surprise  you,  therefore,  that  when  the 
Rev.  Joshua  Spaulding  was  ordained  in  October  of 
this  year,  the  salary  amounted  only  to  $416.66.* 
Even  this  sum  was  not  raised.  Distressed  by  the 
failure  to  secure  the  salary  of  the  Pastor,  some  of 
the  Proprietors  waited  upon  him,  and  fully  apprized 
him  of  their  inability  to  fulfil  their  contract.  With 
great  readiness  he  offered  to  receive  whatever  might 
be  collected  for  his  support ;  and  pledged  himself  to 
pass  to  the  credit  of  the  Society  any  excess  beyond 
the  terms  of  settlement.  His  liberality  had  such  a 
grateful  and  animating  influence  upon  the  people, 
that  in  a  few  years  they  canceled  all  arrearages. 

To  the  new  Pastor's  noble  spirit  of  enterprise  and 
pecuniary  self-denial,  the  Proprietors  of  the  house 
were  also  indebted  for  an  example,  which  stimulated 
them  to  plaister  the  walls,  and  erect  galleries  and  a 
pulpit.  And  to  the  warm  piety  and  liberal  contri- 
butions of  the  same  excellent  man,  must  be  ascribed 
the  purchase  and  preparation  of  that  venerable  old 
building,  the  first  Vestry  of  the  Tabernacle. 

While  the  external  aspect  of  the  Society  was  as- 

*  See  Appendix  Q. 


23 

suming  a  more  dignified  character,  under  the  ad- 
ministration of  Rev.  Mr.  Spaulding,  the  interests  of 
personal  religion  greatly  revived  and  flourished. 
Immediately  after  his  settlement,  the  half-way  cove- 
nant,* which  had  come  down  from  the  days  of  Mr. 
Fisk,  was  abolished  ;  the  Church  was  organized  with 
suitable  officers ;  the  present  course  of  weekly  meet- 
ings was  introduced  ;  and  various  other  judicious 
methods  were  devised,  to  secure  regular  discipline 
and  efficacious  order,  harmony,  and  love.  A  Code 
of  Articles,  embodying  the  principles  and  rules  of 
Church  Government,  agreeable  to  the  Cambridge 
Platform,  was  prepared,  and,  after  thorough  exam- 
ination, adopted  by  the  Church.  It  still  exists,  a 
simple  and  beautiful  compend  of  ecclesiastical  law, 
adapted  to  all  our  circumstances. 

The  efforts  of  the  Pastor  and  the  Church  to  pu- 
rify their  body,  were  eminently  successful.  The 
discipline  of  the  Tabernacle  Church  became  a  terror 
to  evil-doers,  and  a  praise  to  them  who  love  to  do 
well.  I  cannot  speak  too  strongly  in  admiration  of 
the  energy  and  the  Scriptural  propriety,  with  which 
the  discipline  of  the  Church  was  administered  under 
the  guidance  of  Mr.  Spaulding.  A  most  excellent 
preparation  was  made  for  a  continuance  of  the  same 
system  under  the  administration  of  his  successors. 
It  may  be  said  in  truth  of  this  Church,  for  several 
years  after  his  ordination,  that  it  had  rest,  and  walk- 
ing in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  and  the  comfort  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  was  multiplied.  The  Spirit  descended 
in  large  measure,  and  a  rich  harvest  was  gathered. 

There  were  some  peculiarities  of  person  and  man- 

*  See  Appendix  K. 


24 

ners  in  Mr.  Spaulding,  which  rendered  him  less  pop- 
ular and  influential  than  he  would  otherwise  have 
been.  The  vehemence  and  pungency  with  which 
he  preached  the  distinguishing  doctrines  of  grace, 
often  inflamed  the  enmity  of  the  carnal  mind.  But 
his  integrity  as  a  man,  a  Christian,  and  a  minister  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  no  one  had  the  hardihood  or  the 
malice  to  defame.  And  those,  who  abhorred  his 
doctrines,  were  constrained  to  admit,  that  he  had 
been  instrumental  of  much  good,  in  reclaiming  the 
vicious  from  the  error  of  their  ways. 

Unfortunately  for  the  peace  and  happiness  of  the 
people,  the  Pastor  was  drawn  into  the  political  con- 
troversy, which  commenced  near  the  close  of  the 
last  century.  He  preached  his  political  as  well  as 
religious  sentiments.  He  also  contributed  to  the 
public  papers.  Hence  he  exposed  himself  to  the 
lash  of  anonymous  invective  ;  and  of  those  in  his 
congregation  who  differed  from  him  in  politics,  some 
of  the  most  intelligent  and  active  withdrew  from  his 
ministrations. 

No  alarming  disaffection,  however,  occurred,  until 
about  the  year  1800,  when  the  Pastor,  by  some  un- 
accountable reasoning  or  feeling,  was  led  to  assert  a 
right  to  negative  the  votes  of  the  Church.  It  is  the 
more  remarkable  that  this  prerogative  should  be 
claimed,  because  he  well  knew  the  merits  of  the 
conflict  between  his  Church  and  his  immediate  pre- 
decessor. The  claim  was  no  sooner  distinctly  avow- 
ed, than  it  was  met  with  a  resolute  and  energetic 
resistance. 

It  was  not  until  1802,  that  a  Council  was  conven- 
ed in  order  to  settle  the  difficulties,  which  were 


25 

occasioned  by  this  claim  of  Mr.  Spaulding.  Various 
measures  had  been  previously  taken  by  the  Church, 
to  induce  him  to  renounce  his  favorite  doctrine. 
The  spirit  which  he  ever  manifested,  was  in  striking 
contrast  to  that  of  Dr.  Whitaker.  He  was  doubtless 
sincere  in  the  belief,  "  that  a  power  belongs  to  the 
administrators  over  the  seals  and  censures  of  Jesus 
Christ's  kingdom,  which  might  operate  not  only 
against  the  majority,  but  every  individual  brother." 
"  The  Church  of  Christ,"  he  maintained,  "  is  estab- 
lished upon  the  simple  family  principle,  and  the  au- 
thority of  the  Elders  is  that  of  parents  in  a  family." 
The  Council  sustained  the  Church  in  the  course 
which  they  had  pursued ;  and,  in  terms  of  marked 
Christian  courtesy  and  affection,  pronounced  the 
views  of  the  Pastor  upon  the  points  in  dispute,  to 
be  inconsistent  with  the  Articles  of  the  Church  and 
the  established  usages  of  Congregationalism.  Mr. 
Spaulding  asked  and  received  a  dismission. 

A  minority  adhered  to  him.  They  were  subse- 
quently organized  as  the  Branch,  now  Howard  St. 
Church.  It  was  a  very  painful  separation  between 
brethren,  who  had  lived  together  in  entire  harmony, 
until  the  period  of  disagreement  upon  the  Pastor's 
claim  to  negative  the  votes  of  the  Church.  Thus 
in  the  short  period  of  twenty-five  years,  a  second 
dismemberment  gave  existence  to  a  new  Church 
and  Society. 

Most  cordially  do  I  rejoice  to  be  able  to  say,  that 
the  narrative  of  strife  is  over.  We  have  now  reach- 
ed a  period,  which  has  no  such  scenes  of  conflict, 
but  abounds  in  the  blessings  and  trophies  of  peace. 


26 

Of  the  successor  of  Mr.  Spaulding,  another  might 
speak  with  a  freedom  and  force,  which  the  delicacy 
of  an  endeared  filial  relation  will  not  allow  to  me. 
Aware,  however,  that  I  am  expected,  so  far  as  I 
may  be  able,  to  do  that  justice  to  this  portion  of  the 
history  of  the  Tabernacle,  which  you  would  have 
required  from  any  other  person,  who  should  have 
been  called  to  officiate  on  this  occasion,  I  shall 
endeavor,  though  a  son,  yet  not  as  a  son,  to  sketch 
the  leading  incidents  and  characteristics  of  my  fa- 
ther's ministry. 

It  was  on  the  20th  of  April,  1803,  that  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Worcester  was  installed  as  Pastor  of  this 
Church.  He  had  recently  been  dismissed,  at  his 
own  urgent  request,  from  a  pastoral  charge  at  Fitch- 
burg.  His  ministry  there  had  been  an  admirable 
school  of  discipline.  He  entered  upon  professional 
life  with  habits  of  laborious  and  intense  application, 
and  from  the  very  first,  his  standard  of  pulpit  per- 
formance was  of  high  order.  His  sermons  at  Fitch- 
burg  were  written  with  great  care,  as  to  their  mat- 
ter, their  method,  and  their  style.  The  mould  was 
here  cast,  which  was  not  broken,  until  the  silver 
cord  was  loosed  and  the  spirit  had  gone  to  its  home 
in  the  heavens. 

His  preaching  was  so  evangelical  and  impressive, 
that  its  effect  upon  the  Church  at  Fitchburg  was 
somewhat  like  the  operation  of  "  a  new  sharp 
threshing  instrument."  The  discipline  which  be- 
came necessary  in  removing  from  the  Church,  such 
members  as  brought  great  reproach  upon  the  name 
of  Christ,  created  a  stormy  and  malignant  opposition 
to  the  Pastor.     Several  councils  were  convened ; 


27 

sometimes  with  and  sometimes  without  the  appro- 
bation of  the  Church.  A  majority  of  the  Church 
were  fast  friends  of  the  Pastor;  and  some  of  them, 
it  may  be  added,  looked  to  him  as  their  father  in 
Christ,  although  they  had  made  profession  of  faith 
previous  to  his  connexion  with  them. 

A  little  volume  of  "  Facts  and  Documents,"  con- 
tains evidence,  that  the  Pastor  had  studied  the  rights 
of  the  churches  and  the  principles  of  Congregation- 
alism, with  uncommon  perspicacity  and  patience. 
It  was  in  the  difficulties  which  he  experienced  in 
the  management  of  the  discipline  of  the  Church  in 
Fitchburg,  that  he  laid  the  deep  foundations  of  that 
ecclesiastical  wisdom,  which  so  pre-eminently  dis- 
tinguished him  in  his  subsequent  career. 

Well  qualified  as  he  was  in  native  strength  of 
mind,  in  personal  dignity  and  urbanity,  in  literary, 
theological,  and  pastoral  attainments,  to  enter  upon 
the  work  of  the  ministry  in  Salem,  his  answer  to  the 
invitation  from  the  Tabernacle  speaks  the  sentiments 
of  great  diffidence  and  apprehension.  He  was  cor- 
dially welcomed  by  the  people  of  his  new  charge. 
They  had  high  expectations  of  enjoying  a  season  of 
spiritual  edification  and  advancement,  and  these 
were  not  disappointed. 

It  may  be  well  to  remark,  that  the  influence  of  his 
predecessor  over  the  new  Church  and  Society,  was 
very  great ;  and  the  difference  of  opinion  and  feel- 
ing between  the  Tabernacle  and  Branch  Churches, 
was  not  inconsiderable  in  its  practical  influence. 
The  situation  of  the  Pastor  here  was  therefore  criti- 
cal. Great  discretion  was  required  on  his  part,  in 
order  that  the  way  might  be  prepared  for  that  re- 
conciliation which  was  afterwards  so  happily  secured. 


28 

It  is  also  true,  that  the  strength  of  the  Society  had 
been  so  weakened,  that  accessions  to  it  were  ex- 
ceedingly desirable.  Among  the  measures  of  the 
Pastor  for  the  benefit  of  his  own  people  and  of  oth- 
ers, was  the  establishment  of  a  course  of  Sabbath 
Evening  Lectures.  He  expounded  the  Book  of 
Genesis,  in  a  style  so  popular,  as  to  bring  together 
very  crowded  audiences.  In  the  words  of  our 
venerable  brother,  to  whom  I  have  already  referred, 
"  it  was  not  uncommon  for  the  aisles  to  be  filled 
with  attentive  listeners,  standing  till  the  Lecture  was 
closed."  "These  exercises,"  it  is  added,  "were  the 
means  of  increasing  the  Society  in  numbers  and  re- 
spectability, and  of  doing  much  good.  The  Holy 
Spirit  was  poured  upon  the  Society  and  others,  and 
the  Church  enjoyed  a  season  of  refreshing  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  and  additions  were  daily  made 
to  it." 

The  Pastor  was  also  assiduous  in  parochial  duties. 
He  gave  himself  with  great  ardor  and  delight  to  the 
work  of  the  Lord, — in  season  and  out  of  season. 
So  much  had  he  a  mind  to  work,  that  he  actually 
committed  to  the  flames  a  large  portion  of  all  the 
memorials  of  five  years  pulpit  labor  at  Fitchburg, 
lest  he  should  injure  his  mental  habits  by  drawing 
too  frequently  upon  the  results  of  former  industry 
and  exertion.  Such  an  example  as  this,  I  believe, 
is  without  precedent. 

From  the  time  of  his  Installation  until  about  the 
year  1815,  he  devoted  his  best  hours  to  the  compo- 
sition of  sermons.  Of  their  edifying  and  elevated 
character  I  need  not  particularly  speak.  Suffice  it 
to  say,  that  if  he  had  any  idol,  which  was  the  work 


29 

of  mens'  hands,  it  was  the  pulpit  of  the  Tabernacle. 
Here  he  loved  to  be. 

His  evening  Course  of  Lectures  upon  Genesis, 
was  not  the  only  important  series  of  Sermons  which 
he  prepared.  He  delivered  a  regular  and  elaborate 
series  upon  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew,  and 
upon  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  In  the  Church 
meetings  and  in  the  Thursday  evening  conference, 
he  also  gave  systematic  expositions  of  different  parts 
of  the  sacred  volume.  Other  methods  were  em- 
ployed occasionally  or  regularly,  to  persuade  the 
people  of  his  charge  to  make  the  Bible  the  man  of 
their  counsel  and  the  guide  of  their  lives.  He  wish- 
ed them,  as  well  as  himself,  to  be  "  nourished  by 
the  words  of  faith  and  of  good  doctrine." 

His  instructions  in  every  variety  and  upon  every 
occasion,  were  thoroughly  biblical.  And  the  doc- 
trine, to  which  his  thoughts  most  constantly  and 
feelingly  referred,  as  the  grand  foundation  of  faith 
and  holiness,  was  the  atonement.  There  are  those 
who  hear  me,  who  will  remember  with  what  melting 
interest  he  ever  listened,  in  the  social  circle  and  the 
sanctuary,  to  the  song  and  the  music  of  "  Redeem- 
ing Love." 

His  labors  for  the  edification  of  the  Church  and 
conversion  of  sinners,  were  not  without  manifest 
tokens  of  the  divine  favor.  Seldom  did  many  months 
or  weeks  pass  away,  without  bringing  some  of  his 
hearers  to  be  taught  more  fully  the  way  of  salvation. 
Those  who  visited  him  for  this  purpose,  seldom  if 
ever  forgot  his  affectionate  fidelity.  And  repeatedly 
did  the  Spirit  come  down,  like  rain  upon  the  mown 
grass,  and  showers  that  water  the  earth. 


30 

It  was  not  long  after  such  a  season  of  refreshing, 
that  in  1805,  he  felt  obliged  to  preach  two  Dis- 
courses upon  the  "  Perpetuity '  of  the  Abrahamic 
Covenant."  The  publication  of  them  drew  him  into 
a  controversy  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Baldwin,  of  Boston. 
Here  he  displayed  that  ability  as  a  reasoner  and  a 
divine,  which  he  had  long  been  cultivating,  and 
which  afterwards  gained  him  a  high  distinction  in 
Ecclesiastical  Councils,  and  in  public  efforts  to  vin- 
dicate the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints, — as  that 
faith  was  interpreted  by  the  fathers  of  New  England 
and  the  Reformers  of  the  16th  century. 

Though  possessing  rare  qualifications  for  a  con- 
troversial writer,  he  had  no  love  for  such  composi- 
tion. Nothing  but  an  imperative  sense  of  duty  could 
have  constrained  him  to  take  so  conspicuous  and 
responsible  a  part  in  the  first  open  struggle  in  this 
country,  between  the  defenders  and  opposers  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  He  was  at  this  time  in  feeble 
health,  and  his  avocations  were  manifold  and  oppres- 
sive. But  he  came  forth  as  "  a  mighty  man,"  and 
made  himself  more  than  ever,  "  a  man  of  renown." 
He  contended  earnestly  and  triumphantly  for  the 
doctrine  of  Jehovah,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
into  the  faith  of  which  he  was  baptized.  From  far 
and  near,  he  received  the  most  cheering  testimonials 
of  approbation  from  the  churches  of  "  the  Great  God 
and  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ." 

He  was  often  solicited  to  appear  in  Ecclesiastical 
Councils ;  and  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  seldom 
failed  of  being  present  in  such  cases  of  special  im- 
portance as  occurred  within  the  limits  of  this  Com- 
monwealth. 


31 

His  Occasional  Sermons  were  quite  frequent. 
Many  of  them  were  published.  Among  the  more 
remarkable,  was  that  delivered  before  the  Massa- 
chusetts Missionary  Society  in  1809,  and  that,  at 
the  ordination  of  Missionaries  at  Newburyport,  in 
1815. 

During  the  first  twelve  years  of  his  ministry,  his 
public  labors,  although  very  great,  did  not  materially 
interfere  with  his  pulpit  preparations  and  his  paro- 
chial duties.  The  Church  steadily  advanced  under 
his  guidance.  Discipline  was  duly  administered. 
Several  very  important  cases  were  determined,  with 
an  exertion  of  mind  like  that  of  a  profound  Judge 
upon  the  bench.  Great  effort  was  made  for  the  in- 
struction of  all  classes  in  the  congregation,  that  each 
might  have  a  portion  in  due  season.  The  young 
were  objects  of  peculiar  attention  and  solicitude. 
They  revered  the  commanding  presence  of  their 
Pastor,  and  loved  his  affectionate  words.  Wherever 
he  went  among  his  people,  he  found  himself  with 
friends,  who  gave  him  a  most  cordial  reception. 
Those  who  saw  him  in  the  sick-chamber,  and  at  the 
fire-side  of  affliction,  ever  bore  a  grateful  testimony 
to  his  tenderness  and  his  consolatory  sympathies. 

While  pursuing  his  labors  here,  he  was  not  undis- 
turbed by  applications  for  his  entire  services  else- 
where. Within  one  year  after  his  settlement  in 
Salem,  he  was  invited  to  the  Professorship  of  Theo- 
logy in  Dartmouth  College,  with  a  distinct  ultimate 
reference  to  the  presidency.  A  Council  of  brethren 
decided  against  his  acceptance  of  the  office.  It  is 
well  known  that  he  was  afterwards  repeatedly  re- 
quested to  allow  himself  to  be  a  candidate  for  the 


32 

highest  station  in  our  colleges.  But  he  loved  his 
people,  and  had  no  desire  to  leave  them.  And  dear 
as  was  the  missionary  cause  to  his  heart,  he  could 
not  readily  consent  to  an  entire  dissolution  of  his 
connexion  with  the  Tabernacle.  Hence  when  the 
path  of  duty  plainly  led  him  into  labors  as  Corres- 
ponding Secretary  of  the  American  Board  of  Com- 
missioners for  Foreign  Missions,  which  were  more 
than  sufficient  for  his  whole  time,  he  was  solicitous 
to  live  and  die  as  Pastor  of  this  flock. 

So  it  was.  Borne  down  at  last  under  an  immense 
weight  of  responsibilities,  labors,  and  infirmities,  he 
fell  asleep,  far  away  from  them  and  from  his  family, 
on  the  morning  of  June  7,  1821.*  The  affliction 
which  his  decease  brought  upon  the  Junior  Pastor 
and  upon  the  whole  Church  and  Society,  I  shall 
not  attempt  to  describe.  Still  less  shall  I  attempt 
to  describe  the  effect,  as  the  mournful  intelligence 
went  out  through  the  land,  and  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth.  Filial  affection  prefers  to  unbosom  itself  in 
the  solitude  of  retirement,  rather  than  utter  the  faint- 
est notes  of  public  eulogy. 

It  was  with  extreme  reluctance,  that  this  Church 
and  Society  consented  to  an  arrangement  with  the 
Board  of  Missions,  by  which  their  Pastor  was  allow- 
ed to  spend  three  fourths  of  his  time  in  the  duties 
of  Corresponding  Secretary.  It  was  evident,  how- 
ever, that  unless  such  an  arrangement  could  be 
made,  the  Pastor  would  be  obliged  to  ask  for  a  dis- 
mission. 

The  Rev.  Elias  Cornelius  was  inducted  into  the 
office  of  Associate  Pastor,  in  July,  1819.    This  much 

*  See  Appendix  S. 


33 

lamented  servant  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  entered  upon 
his  work  with  a  burning  zeal  in  his  Master's  cause. 
And  now  while  I  speak,  how  does  his  manly  form 
and  his  noble  countenance,  appear  before  the  mind 
of  every  one  that  knew  him  !  Wherever  he  was,  it 
was  impossible  to  refrain  from  admiring  the  finished 
courtesy  of  his  manners  and  the  hallowed  purity  of 
his  discourse. 

In  the  first  year  of  his  ministry  he  recommended 
to  the  Church  the  observance  of  a  day  of  fasting, 
humiliation,  and  prayer,  for  a  revival  of  religion. 
Such  was  the  solemn  impression  of  this  season,  that 
it  was  made  by  vote  of  the  Church  the  commence- 
ment of  the  present  series  of  Quarterly  Fasts. 

It  was  during  this  year  also,  that  it  became  neces- 
sary to  erect  a  new  Vestry.  The  former  building, 
as  I  have  already  mentioned,  was  procured  at  the 
instance  of  Mr.  Spaulding.  It  was  the  first  of  its 
kind  ever  known  in  this  place.  Here  from  1790  to 
1820,  the  private  religious  meetings  of  the  Church 
and  Society  were  held.  "  It  was,"  to  use  the  words 
of  the  Senior  Pastor,  "  evidently,  and  at  times  sig- 
nally honored  with  the  Divine  presence."  May  not 
the  same  remark  be  applied  to  the  neat  and  con- 
venient edifice,  in  which  we  are  now  allowed  so 
often  to  assemble  for  spiritual  improvement  ? 

Upon  the  death  of  the  Senior  Pastor,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Cornelius  assumed  the  sole  charge  of  the  Tab- 
ernacle. His  ministrations  were  greatly  blessed  of 
the  Lord,  especially  during  the  years  1824  and  1825. 
Many  of  those  who  now  hear  me,  remember  him 
with  the  fervent  love  of  spiritual  children.  They 
will  never  forget,  I  trust,  how  earnestly  he  labored, 
5 


34 

that  they  might  adorn  the  doctrine  of  the  Savior, 
and  be  prepared  to  shine  as  the  stars  forever  and 
ever. 

While  becoming  increasingly  interesting  and  use- 
ful as  a  Preacher  and  Pastor,  he  v/as  invited  by  the 
Directors  of  the  American  Education  Society,  to  be 
their  Corresponding  Secretary.  The  invitation  pro- 
duced here  a  very  general  and  painful  dissatisfaction. 
Under  all  the  circumstances,  I  wonder  not,  that  so 
much  repugnance  was  felt  towards  a  measure,  which 
was  about  to  sunder  such  bonds  of  attachment. 

The  proposal  to  leave  the  Tabernacle  was  by  no 
means  congenial  to  the  feelings  of  Mr.  Cornelius 
himself.  I  speak  advisedly,  when  I  thus  speak.  In 
a  conversation  which  your  present  Pastor  once  had 
with  him  upon  this  subject,  he  laid  open  the  secrets 
of  his  soul.  It  was,  I  believe,  at  Andover,  when, 
having  finished  an  agency  in  behalf  of  the  Education 
Society,  he  received  the  direct  request,  that  he  would 
take  the  responsibilities  of  the  office  abovementioned. 
His  feelings  were  much  excited,  and  were  of  such  a 
nature,  that  he  was  soon  led  to  great  searchings  of 
heart.  Riding  towards  Boston,  he  stopped  his  horse, 
retired  into  a  grove,  where  he  resolved  to  remain, 
until  his  mind  should  be  brought  into  a  state,  which 
would  seem  to  be  more  like  a  spirit  of  humble  sub- 
mission to  the  divine  will.  While  there,  pouring  out 
his  soul  in  supplication,  he  was  led  to  take  such  a 
view  of  the  Christian  motives  of  the  great  and  good 
men,  who  had  submitted  to  him  the  exciting  and 
agonizing  question  of  duty,  that  he  came  to  a  full 
determination  to  consider  the  whole  subject  with 
candor,  and  follow,  with  unhesitating  step,  the  lead- 


35 

ings  of  Providence.  My  own  opinion  is,  that  then 
and  there,  he  became  satisfied,  that  in  all  probability 
it  was  the  Divine  pleasure  that  he  should  soon  bid 
farewell  to  his  pastoral  connexion.  That  he  after- 
wards had  the  assurance  of  moral  certainty,  that  it 
was  his  duty  to  resign  his  charge  in  Salem,  and  that 
in  the  whole  proceeding  he  was  actuated  by  the 
purest  and  sublimest  motives,  I  never  had  a  ques- 
tion, for  a  single  moment.  It  was  a  great  sacrifice 
of  personal  feeling,  when  in  September,  1826,  he 
asked  a  dismission  from  his  people. 

And  who  of  all  that  worshipped  in  the  Taber- 
nacle, while  he  was  the  minister  and  pastor,  does 
not  love  the  very  sound  of  his  name?  Long  may  his 
example  be  remembered.  Often  may  his  eloquent 
appeals  sound  in  our  ears,  and  sink  down  into  our 
hearts.  "Though  dead,  he  yet  speaketh"  to  hun- 
dreds of  thousands ;  and  while  the  cause  of  benevo- 
lence can  find  a  bosom  in  this  country,  to  throb  with 
gratitude,  the  name  of  Elias  Cornelius  will  not  be 
forgotten. 

Of  my  immediate  predecessor,  the  Rev.  John  P. 
Cleaveland,  I  surely  cannot  give  you  any  new  in- 
formation ;  neither  is  it  necessary  that  I  make  any 
attempt  to  stir  up  your  minds  by  way  of  remem- 
brance. He  was  ordained  in  February,  1827.  His 
ministry  was,  as  you  know,  a  happy  continuation  of 
that  prosperity,  which  had  been  enjoyed  for  about 
twenty-five  years.  Howr  earnestly  he  toiled,  by  day 
and  by  night,  and  how  unbounded  were  the  expres- 
sions of  his  love  for  you,  in  your  temporal  and  eter- 
nal welfare,  you  all  understand  and  feel,  far  better 
than  I  can  portray.  When  did  ever  children  and 
youth  love  a  Pastor  more  cordially  ? 


36 

The  memorable  year  of  1831,  will  bear  especial 
witness  to  his  indefatigable  exertions  for  the  king- 
dom of  Christ.  In  that  season  of  general  outpour- 
ing of  the  Spirit  upon  the  Churches,  you  shared 
richly  in  the  blessings  of  the  extraordinary  effusion. 
So  many  among  you  were  in  consequence  led  to 
cherish  a  hope,  and  to  profess  faith  in  the  Lord  Je- 
sus, that  the  number  admitted  to  the  Church,  during 
the  seven  years  of  Mr.  Cleaveland's  ministry,  far 
exceeded  the  amount  of  admissions  in  the  same 
length  of  time,  at  any  former  period. 

My  friend  and  brother  resigned  his  office,  in  obe- 
dience to  his  convictions  of  duty.  And  as  he  still 
lives,  occupying  a  most  important  post*  in  a  great 
field  of  usefulness,  what  more  can  either  you  or  he 
wish  me  to  say  of  him,  on  this  occasion,  than  that 
you  will  ever  retain  him  in  your  warm  affections, 
and  often  pray  that  he  may  long  live  to  see  increas- 
ing evidence,  that  his  labors  are  honored  of  his  Lord. 

Thus  I  have  endeavored  to  present  an  impartial 
outline  of  the  history  of  this  Church  and  Society, 
from  the  time  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Fisk  and  his  friends 
withdrew  from  the  First  Church,  until  the  close  of 
the  ministry  of  your  late  Pastor,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cleave- 
land.  No  one  can  be  more  sensible  than  I  am,  that 
the  unpleasant  events  may  have  seemed  to  occupy 
a  disproportionate  share  of  attention.  It  was  una- 
voidable. I  could  not  otherwise  give  a  distinct  view 
of  the  causes  of  the  important  changes  which  have 
occurred.  And  saddening  as  portions  of  the  picture 
certainly  are,  I  know  not  that  any  of  us  have  any 
reason  to  be  mortified  by  a  narrative  of  errors  in 

*  Detroit,  Mich.  Ter. 


37 

judgment  and  practice,  of  which  we  ourselves  have 
not  partaken.  Besides,  you  must  all  be  aware,  that 
the  history  of  any  community  or  the  genealogy  of 
any  family,  that  can  be  named,  will  lead  us  through 
chapters,  which  some  at  least  would  wish  to  be  blot- 
ted out.  You  must  also  know,  that  in  the  volumin- 
ous records  of  the  past,  scores  of  pages  are  occupied 
by  the  details  of  a  single  battle ;  while  a  short  para- 
graph, or  a  single  sentence,  may  contain  all  that  is 
said  of  ten  thousand  varieties  of  the  blessings  of 
peace.  When,  therefore,  your  minds  revert  to  the 
commotions  and  troubles  which  I  have  narrated,  do 
not  forget  the  twenty  years  of  peace  and  prosperity 
under  Messrs.  Leavitt  and  Huntington,  and  the  fif- 
teen years  of  great  advancement  and  comfort  under 
Mr.  Spaulding,  before  we  come  to  the  last  thirty- 
two  years  of  almost  unbroken  tranquillity  and  en- 
joyment. 

It  is  worthy  of  special  remark,  that  the  example 
of  the  Church  in  observing  a  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer,  previous  to  the  invitation  extended  to  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Leavitt  to  become  their  Pastor,  has  been 
imitated  in  every  similar  condition  of  circumstances.* 
The  custom  should  be  continued  through  future 
generations.  But  if  the  direction  of  the  Lord  is 
sincerely  desired,  that  a  right  choice  of  a  Pastor 
may  be  made,  it  is,  I  conceive,  of  high  importance, 
that  the  Church  should  never,  as  they  did,  in  one 
case  at  least,  actually,  though  not  formally  resolve, 
that  if  it  were  possible  to  obtain  him,  they  would 
certainly  have  an  individual  whom  they  had  already 
selected.     It  was  with  great  propriety  that  a  cler- 

*  See  Appendix  T. 


38 

gyman  of  Boston  declined  his  assistance  in  the  ser- 
vices of  a  day  of  fasting  appointed  by  this  Church,  in 
1769.  Upon  inquiry  he  was  distinctly  informed  by 
the  messenger,  that  they  were  determined  to  have 
Dr.  Whitaker.  If  the  determination  was  made,  it 
was  of  course  egregious  hypocrisy  in  pretending  to 
ask  counsel  of  the  Lord.  I  cannot  forbear  to  add, 
that  if  the  Lord  heard  the  prayers  of  the  Church, 
the  answer  reminds  us  of  that  to  the  petition  of  Is- 
rael for  a  king  to  reign  over  them ;  and  also  of  that 
to  the  impatient  cry  of  their  fathers  for  flesh,  after 
loathing  the  manna.  "  While  the  flesh  was  yet  be- 
tween their  teeth,  ere  it  was  chewed,  the  wrath  of 
the  Lord  was  kindled  against  the  people ;  and  the 
Lord  smote  the  people  with  a  very  great  plague." 

It  is  also  worthy  of  special  remark,  that  in  the 
whole  century  of  the  history  of  this  Church,  the 
same  system  of  doctrines  has  been  preached.  Mr. 
Fisk  was  a  man  of  reputed  orthodoxy ;  and  there  is 
no  doubt,  that  those  who  adhered  to  him,  were  the 
most  evangelical  portion  of  the  First  Church.  Hence 
when  Mr.  Leavitt  came  among  them  as  a  candidate  for 
settlement,  his  thorough  Calvinism  received  a  hearty 
response.*  He  probably  sympathized  with  such 
men  as  Jonathan  Edwards,  and  partook  of  the  spirit 
of  the  glorious  revival  of  religion,  which  had  recently 
visited  many  of  the  New  England  churches. — A 
volume  of  Sermons  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Huntington,  is 
still  in  existence.  He  was  a  zealous  preacher  of 
Christ  and  him  crucified. — Dr.  Whitaker  was  an 
able  man  in  the  pulpit.  He  had  acquired  such  a 
discriminating  knowledge  of  the  Calvinistic  method 

*  See  Appendix  U. 


39 

of  expounding  the  law  and  the  gospel,  that  his  Ser- 
mons were  truth,  which,  upon  other  tongues,  would 
have  "  pierced  like  a  two-edged  sword." 

Of  Mr.  Spaulding's  preaching,  many  living  wit- 
nesses can  speak.  He  was  unquestionably  sound 
in  the  truth  of  God  and  the  faith  of  Jesus.  Yet  he 
was  led  into  some  abstract  and  recondite  specula- 
tions, afterwards  embodied  in  a  work  entitled,  "  The 
Divine  Theory,"  which  spread  a  veil  of  mysticism 
over  his  instructions,  in  the  latter  part  of  his  ministry 
at  the  Tabernacle.  That  his  successors  have  all 
been  open  and  decided  in  their  orthodoxy,  no  one 
will  ever  be  likely  to  dispute. 

The  Records  of  the  Church  will  show,  that  the 
preaching  of  Christ,  and  him  crucified,  has  been  emi- 
nently owned  of  the  Lord  in  the  conversion  of  souls. 
More  than  one  thousand  have  been  induced  here  to 
profess  faith  in  the  Savior.*  We  cannot  but  believe 
that  some  hundreds  of  them  are  now  uniting  in  the 
song  of  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  re- 
ceive power  and  riches  and  wisdom  and  strength 
and  honor  and  glory  and  blessing " ;  while  many 
others  are  of  the  Church  militant  on  the  way  to  the 
Church  triumphant.  May  all  of  them  make  their 
calling  and  election  sure.  Let  no  one  of  those,  who 
profess  to  have  Christ  formed  in  them  the  hope  of 
glory,  draw  back  unto  perdition.  And  may  the 
Lord  add  greatly  to  the  number  of  such  as  shall  be 
saved. 

The  history  of  this  Society  abounds  in  illustrations 
of  the  cardinal  principle  of  genuine  revivals — "  Not 
by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  spirit,  saith  the 

*  See  Appendix  V. 


40 

Lord."  And  in  looking  back  upon  the  scenes,  in 
which  even  some  now  living  have  participated,  we 
cannot  but  recall  the  language  of  the  Psalmist, — "  If 
it  had  not  been  the  Lord  who  was  on  our  side,  when 
men  rose  up  against  us ;  then  they  had  swallowed 
us  up  quick,  when  their  wrath  was  kindled  against 
us  :  then  the  proud  waters  had  gone  over  our  soul. 
Our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  who  made 
heaven  and  earth."  "  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto 
us,  but  unto  thy  name  give  glory,  for  thy  mercy  and 
thy  truth's  sake." 

Having  thus  reviewed  the  past,  we  may  now,  for 
a  few  moments,  contemplate  our  present  position 
and  circumstances.  First  of  all,  I  observe,  that  in 
doctrine  we  stand  upon  the  foundation  of  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers,  who  established  the  First  Church  in  this 
town;  of  the  great  Reformers  in  the  16th  century, 
men  who  upon  their  knees  studied  the  word  of  God ; 
of  the  still  greater  Reformers,  the  Apostles,  of  the 
first  century ;  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  "  Light  of  the 
world,"  the  "Lamb  of  God,"  "the  Head  of  the 
Church,"  "  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead,"  "  the 
Creator  of  all  things  visible  and  invisible."  We  re- 
ceive "  the  Christian  religion,  as  revealed  in  the 
Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  and 
such  a  view  of  it,  substantially,  as  the  Westminster 
Catechism  exhibits."  This  formulary  of  faith  we 
humbly  believe  to  be  directly  deduced  from  the 
oracles  of  Everlasting  Truth.  We  now  recognize 
the  Westminster  Manual  of  Doctrine  in  our  Church 
Covenant,  because  we  regard  it  is  a  good  criterion 
by  which  we  may  know,  whether,  in  receiving 
Christianity,  we   "  see  eye  to  eye,  and  mind  the 


41 

same  things ;"  not  because  we  would  lord  it  over 
men's  consciences,  or  in  the  least  infringe  upon  the 
natural  and  imprescriptible  rights  of  private  judg- 
ment.* 

Besides,  we  regard  Christianity  as  a  perfect  sci- 
ence. It  is  not  a  discovery  of  man,  and,  therefore, 
is  not  like  human  sciences  subject  to  changes  and 
improvements.  It  came  from  the  depths  of  the 
wisdom  of  the  Omniscient.  Immutable  in  its  radical 
principles  and  fundamental  requirements,  it  will, 
through  every  age,  proclaim  to  sinners,  "Love  God 
with  all  the  heart;"  "Ye  must  be  born  again;" 
"Repent;"  "Believe;"  "Be  baptized  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;"  "  He  that  believeth,  shall  be  saved,  and  he 
that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned." 

We  retain  the  ancient  distinction  between  the 
church  and  the  congregation.  Believers  in  Jesus, 
as  they  were  called  by  the  apostles,  were  such  as 
gave  credible  evidence  of  faith  in  the  heart,  wrorking 
by  love.  Communicants  were  those  who  professed 
to  have  become  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus,  by 
the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  the  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  views  of  the  fathers  of  this  town,  in  regard 
to  the  terms  of  "  communion,"  may  be  seen  in  Cot- 
ton Mather's  account  of  a  very  interesting  occur- 
rence, at  the  time  w7hen  they  organized  the  First 
Church. — "  A  young  gentleman  belonging  to  another 
plantation,  being  at  Salem,  on  this  day  when  the 
Church  was  gathered,  was  at  what  he  saw  and 
heard  so  deeply  affected,  that  he  stood  up  express- 

*  See  Appendix  W. 


42 

ing  with  much  affection  his  desire  to  be  admitted 
into  their  number,  which  when  they  demurred  about, 
he  desired  that  they  would  at  least  admit  him  to 
make  his  profession  before  them.  When  they  al- 
lowed this,  he  expressed  himself  so  agreeably,  and 
with  so  much  ingenuity  and  simplicity,  that  they 
were  extremely  pleased  with  it ;  and  the  ministers 
told  him  that  they  highly  approved  of  his  profession ; 
but  inasmuch  as  he  was  a  stranger  to  them,  they 
could  not  receive  him  into  their  communion,  until  they 
had  a  further  acquaintance  with  his  conversation"* 
The  founders  of  the  First  Church  in  this  town,  de- 
manded of  those  who  partook  of  the  emblems  of  a 
Savior's  dying  love,  not  only  a  good  confession  of 
experimental  knowledge  of  Christ,  but  a  practical 
proof  of  holy  conversation  and  godliness. 

When  the  number  of  non-communicants  had  con- 
siderably increased,  church-membership  was,  for 
some  years,  a  civil  qualification.  The  principle  was 
wrong,  and  the  measure  disastrous  in  its  influence 
upon  \ital  religion. — But  in  every  modification  of  the 
terms  of  church-membership,  the  voice  of  New  Eng- 
land has  ever  been  in  most  explicit  and  decided  rati- 
fication of  the  primitive  claims  of  the  household  of 
faith,  as  consisting  of  those  ivho  have  come  out  from 
the  world. 

A  Christian  Church  is,  by  the  very  act  of  forma- 
tion, separated  and  distinguished  from  the  Congre- 
gation or  Society,  with  which,  for  the  general  pur- 
poses of  public  worship,  it  is  intimately  connected. 
The  Congregation  do  not  choose  the  officers  of  the 
Church,  nor  prescribe  its  Confession  of  Faith  and 

*  See  Appendix  X. 


43 

Covenant.  The  "thirty  brethren"  who  composed 
the  First  Church  in  this  town,  were  not  constituted 
a  Church  by  the  Congregation,  but  by  their  own  act, 
in  adopting  a  Confession  of  Faith  and  a  Covenant, 
and  electing  appropriate  officers.  In  all  the  pro- 
ceedings, the  voice  of  the  other  part  of  the  commu- 
nity was  not  heard ;  for  the  very  palpable  reason, 
that  they  had  no  title  to  participate  in  the  proceed- 
ings. The  Church,  as  such,  is  as  independent  of 
the  Congregation,  as  the  Congregation  is  of  the 
Church.  Those  judicial  decisions,  therefore,  which 
in  our  age  have  identified  the  Church  with  the  Con- 
gregation, are  supported  by  arguments,  which,  I  am 
constrained  with  a  respectful  deference  to  say,  the 
history  of  the  country  proves  to  be,  not  of  truth  and 
justice,  but  of  error  and  oppression. 

There  has  ever  been  a  delightful  harmony  between 
this  Church  and  Congregation.  The  rights  of  each 
have  been  duly  recognized  and  respected.  In  no 
instance  has  a  minister  been  settled  or  dismissed  by 
a  vote  of  the  Con°re2;ation  alone.  And  while  as 
members  of  the  Church,  we  conscientiously  insist 
upon  the  present  terms  of  admission  to  the  Lord's 
table,  our  heart's  desire  and  prayer  ro  God  is,  that 
every  member  of  the  Congregation  may  be  induced 
to  own  the  Savior  before  men,  and  in  the  great  day 
when  "  the  books  are  opened,"  may  find  his  name 
written  in  the  "Book  of  Life." 

I  observe,  finally,  that  in  oar  form  of  ecclesiastical 
government,  we  are  upon  the  foundation  of  the  fa- 
thers of  New  England,  and,  as  we  believe,  upon  that 
of  the  early  Christians.  We  have  made  some  ad- 
vances upon  the  attainments  of  the  leaders  of  the 


44 

Church  in  Holland,  from  which  our  first  churches 
were  derived.  It  is  well  known,  that  in  separating 
from  the  Establishment,  the  Puritans  had  no  contro- 
versy in  matters  of  doctrine.  When,  therefore,  the 
pious  Robinson  gave  his  farewell  charge  to  those  of 
his  flock  who  were  embarking  for  the  American  wil- 
derness, and  expressed  his  "persuasion,  that  the 
Lord  had  more  truth  yet  to  break  forth  out  of  his 
holy  word,"  he  unquestionably  anticipated  that  the 
churches  of  the  Reformation,  founded  upon  these 
shores,  would  embrace  farther  light  upon  the  prin- 
ciples of  government  and  discipline,  as  also  upon 
points  of  faith  and  duty.  His  anticipations  have 
been  realized.  The  doctrines  which  he  loved,  have 
been  vindicated  and  enforced  by  new  arguments, 
and  more  impressive  illustrations.  And  Congrega- 
tionalism, as  established  in  New  England,  is  a  de- 
cided improvement  upon  the  scheme  of  Independ- 
ence, which  for  a  time,  at  least,  he  advocated.* 

We  have  now  had  the  experience  of  two  centu- 
ries. The  majority  of  the  Churches  in  New  Eng- 
land are  convinced,  not  only  that  Congregationalism 
has  the  nearest  resemblance  to  the  earliest  govern- 
ment of  Christian  communities,  but  that  it  is  best 
adapted  to  protect  and  extend  "the  liberty  wherewith 
Christ  makes  free."  It  is  certainly  most  agreeable 
to  the  genius  of  our  civil  institutions.  And  although 
like  these,  liable  to  perversion  and  abuse,  yet  I  am 
persuaded,  that  if  Congregationalism  were  to  be 
abolished,  a  most  serious  injury  would  be  inflicted 
upon  the  cause  both  of  our  religious  and  civil  free- 
dom. 

*  Pee  Appendix  Y. 


45 

The  Puritans  were  led  to  deny  the  divine  authori- 
ty of  kings,  as  a  legitimate  result  of  their  assertion  of 
the  rights  of  conscience  in  the  worship  of  the  "  King 
of  kings."  Let  it  not  soon  be  forgotten  that  it  was 
John  Calvin,  who,  more  than  any  other  man,  gave 
that  character  to  Protestantism,  which  made  the  Pu- 
ritans the  irreconcileable  enemies  of  ecclesiastical 
and  civil  despotism.*  The  same  stern,  incorruptible 
integrity,  the  same  uncompromising  determination  to 
enjoy  the  freedom  of  the  Gospel,  which  distinguish- 
ed him,  had  a  counterpart  in  many  thousands,  who 
in  "  our  father-land,"  resisted  alike  the  tiara  and  the 
crown.  Bone  of  their  bone  and  soul  of  their  soul, 
were  the  men  who  bequeathed  to  us  these  pleasant 
places  and  this  goodly  heritage.  They  established, 
improved,  and  transmitted  such  institutions  of  learn- 
ing and  religion,  as  have  brought  their  descendants 
into  possession  of  the  most  precious  inheritance  of 
liberty,  which  the  sun,  from  the  beginning  of  his 
days,  has  ever  seen  among  the  children  of  men. 

I  cannot  even  allude  to  all  the  kindly  and  power- 
ful influences  of  the  preaching  of  the  faith  of  the  Pil- 
grims, and  the  Reformers,  and  the  Apostles,  in 
churches  governed  like  ours.  I  can  only  say  in  a 
word,  that  we  have  the  strongest  reasons  to  cherish 
Congregationalism  as  a  tree,  which  hath  borne  most 
excellent  fruit.  Were  I  fond  of  denunciation,  I  might 
be  tempted  to  say,  palsied  be  the  hand  that  would 
level  an  axe  at  its  trunk  or  its  branches.  Rather 
would  I  say,  let  it  grow ;  let  it  flourish,  and  bring 
forth  abundantly  of  fruit  after  its  kind ;  and  let  its 
leaves  be  for  the  healing  of  the  nations. 

*  See  Appendix  Z. 


46 

And  now,  standing  as  we  do,  at  the  close  of  the 
first  and  at  the  commencement  of  the  second  cen- 
tury of  the  history  of  this  Church  and  Society,  what 
occasion  we  have  to  praise  God  and  take  courage  • 
I  shall  not,  like  the  prophet  of  old,  "  take  a  stone  and 
set"  it  in  a  conspicuous  place,  as  a  monument.  But 
I  call  upon  you,  my  respected  and  beloved  friends, 
to  present  your  own  bodies  and  spirits  a  living  monu- 
ment of  gratitude  for  the  mercies  of  the  Lord,  and  to 
inscribe  indelibly  upon  the  tablet  of  your  affections, 
"Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us." 

Let  us  not,  however,  be  too  sanguine  in  our  an- 
ticipations. We  know  not  that  which  shall  be  on 
the  morrow.  We  have  need  of  great  humility  and 
of  unfeigned  contrition.  God  abaseth  the  proud, 
while  he  exalteth  the  humble.  In  him  only  can  we 
repose  our  confidence  for  the  future.  If  we  fail  of 
being  conformed  to  his  holy  will,  then  an  overflow- 
ing scourge  may  pass  through  and  lay  waste  all  the 
pleasant  things  of  our  present  prosperity. 

Do  we  wish  here  to  protect  an  altar  for  the  wor- 
ship of  our  Divine  Redeemer?  It  is  not  by  ram- 
parts of  men's  device,  nor  by  an  array  of  carnal 
weapons,  that  our  object  can  be  accomplished.  Let 
it  ever  be  encircled  with  hearts  of  piety :  and  let  our 
sacrifices  be  those  of  a  broken  and  contrite  spirit. 
Then  will  Jehovah,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  be 
as  a  wall  of  fire  around  this  sanctuary  of  our  holy  so- 
lemnities, and  a  glory  in  the  midst  of  us.  And,  while 
our  Christian  sympathies  embrace  the  world,  let  us 
devoutly  pray,  that  the  God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac, 
and  of  Jacob,  may  have  in  Salem  also  a  Tabernacle, 


47 

whose  walls  shall  be  Salvation,  and  whose  gates  shall 
be  Praise,  until  time  shall  be  no  longer. 

Where  are  those  who  mingled  with  such  intense 
interest  in  the  scenes  of  the  last  Sabbath  of  April, 
1 735  ?  Jill,  all,  in  eternity !  And  one  hundred 
years  hence,  where  shall  we  be,  who  now  compose 
this  far  different  assembly?  All,  all — every  one — 
in  eternity !  As  spirits  redeemed  by  the  blood  of 
Christ,  regenerated  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  may  we  all 
be  around  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb. 


APPENDIX. 


A.     Parre  3. 


This  statement  is  made  on  the  authority  of  a  document  found  at  p.  105,  of  a 
Pamphlet,  entitled,  "  A  Just  and  Impartial  Narrative  of  the  Controversy  between 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Fisk.  the  Pastor,  and  a  Number  of  the  Brethren  of  the  First 
Church  of  Christ  in  Salem.  Boston  :  Printed  by  Thomas  Fleet,  at  the  Heart  and 
Crown  in  Cornhill."  pp.  1 15.— To  the  same  Pamphlet,  I  would  here  take  occasion 
to  refer  those  who  may  wish  to  investigate  the  merits  of  the  Controversy  more 
fully  ;  and  also,  to  "A  Faithful  Narrative  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Ecclesiastical 
Council  convened  at  Salem  in  1734 ;  occasioned  by  the  scandalous  Divisions  in 
the  first  Church  in  that  Town  ;  continuing  after  repeated  Admonitions  given  them 
in  the  way  of  Communion  of  Churches,  expressing  that  concern  and  charily  they 
owe  to  each  other,  according  to  the  Laws  of  Christ,  and  the  professed  Principles 
of  Congregational  Churches."  Boston.  1735.  pp.94. — These  and  other  Pamphlets 
upon  the  same  subject,  may  be  found  at  the  Salem  Athenaeum,  in  a  volume  letter- 
ed, "  Controversy  relating  to  First  Church  in  Salem." 

The  first  notice  of  a  Lecture  in  the  Annals  of  Salem,  is  under  date  of  Oct.  3, 
1733.  "The  Court  of  Assistants  having  perceived  that  it  was  customary  to  have 
religious  Lectures  held  at  Taverns  in  the  forenoon,  enacted  that  none  should  be 
held  there  in  future  before  one  o'clock. "—Felt's  Annals,  tyc.  p.  61. 

••  1649.  Feb.  23.  Thomas  Rowell  was  fined  5s.  and  2s.  Gd.  court  fees,  for  neg- 
lecting to  attend  worship  on  lecture-day —lb.  p.  180. 

"Lecture  days"  were  of  so  much  importance,  that  the  exercises  of  the  public 
schools  were  suspended.  In  process  of  time,  lecture-day  became  synonymous 
with  holiday.  Hence,  although  "The  Lecture"  has  long  since  departed  from 
among  us,  the  younger  members  of  the  community  very  early  learn  to  say,  "  It  is 
lecture,  this  afternoon ;  or,  "  It  will  be  lecture  at  our  school,  all  next  week," — 
meaning  simply,  there  will  be  a  vacation. 

B.     Page  4. 

It  was  at  this  meeting  that  the  request  was  granted.  Hence  the  formation  of 
the  East  Church.  Rev.  Robert  Stanton  was  ordained  over  this  Church,  April  8, 
1719.  Until  the  close  of  the  year  1718,  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  had  but  one 
Church  and  Society.     The  East  Church  is  therefore  the  Second  Church. 

7 


50 

C.     Page  7. 

The  aggrieved  brethren,  it  will  be  recollected,  first  attempted  to  bring  the  Pastor 
to  terms,  by  the  aid  of  an  Ex-Parte  Council.  Failing  in  this  measure,  they  referred 
their  grievance  to  the  Second  Church  in  Boston.  All  the  subsequent  proceedings 
were  in  strict  accordance  with  Congregational  rules. 

"  The  Cambridge  Platform,  (Chap.  XV,)  in  enumerating  the  methods  of  com- 
munion among  churches,  mentions  as  the  third,  the  dispensing  of  admonition  ; 
declaring  not  only  the  existence  of  the  power,  but  the  particular  forms,  according 
to  which  it  is  to  be  exercised.  '  A  way,  then,  of  communion  of  churches  is  by 
wav  of  admonition ;  to  wit,  in  case  any  public  offfnee  be  found  in  a  church,  which 
they  either  discern  not,  or  are  slow  in  proceeding  to  use  the  means  for  the  remov- 
ing and  healing  of. 

"  '  Paul  had  no  authority  over  Peter,  yet  when  he  saw  Peter  not  walking  with  a 
right  foot,  he  publicly  rebuked  him  before  the  church,  Gal.  2  :  11 — 14-.  Though 
churches  have  no  more  authority,  one  over  another,  than  one  apostle  had  over  ano- 
ther, so  may  one  church  admonish  another,  and  yet  without  usurpation. 

"  '  In  which  case,  if  the  church,  that  lieth  under  offence,  do  not  hearken  to  the 
church,  that  doth  admonish  her,  the  church  is  to  acquaint  other  neighboring  churches 
with  that  offence,  which  the  offending  church  still  lieth  under,  together  with  the 
neglect  of  their  brotherly  admonition  given  unto  them.  Whereupon  those  other 
churches  are  to  join  in  seconding  the  admonition  formerly  given.  And,  if  still  the 
offending  church  continue  in  obstinacy  and  impenitency,  they  may  forbear  com- 
munion with  them,  and  are  to  proceed  to  make  use  of  the  help  of  a  synod  or  coun- 
cil of  neighbor  churches  walking  orderly,  (if  a  greater  cannot  be  conveniently  had,) 
for  their  conviction. 

"  '  If  they  hear  not  the  synod,  the  synod,  having  declared  them  to  be  obstinate, 
particular  churches,  accepting  and  approving  of  the  judgment  of  the  synod,  are  to 
declare  the  sentence  of  non-communion  respectively  concerning  them.  And  there- 
upon, out  of  religious  care  to  keep  their  own  communion  pure,  they  ma}' justly 
withdraw  themselves  from  participation  with  them  at  the  Lord's  table,  and  from 
such  other  acts  of  holy  communion,  as  the  communion  of  churches  doth  otherwise 
allow  and  require.'  "—Upham's  Ratio  Disciplines, p.  207. 

D.  Page  10. 

Dec.  8,  1735.  A  Committee  of  the  Legislature  visit  Salem  and  hold  a  session  of 
three  days  in  the  Town  House,  concerning  the  new  meeting-house,  which  Mr.  Fisk's 
supporters  had  begun  for  him.  The  Committee  find  that  the  frame  was  placed  only 
twelve  perches  and  eleven  feet  from  the  First  Parish  meeting-house  ;  and  their  report, 
presented  Jan.  1,  and  accepted,  requires  that  the  meeting-house  of  Mr.  F.'s  friends 
shall  not  stand  nearer  to  the  other  than  forty  perches. — Felt's  Annals,  fyc.  p.  411. 

E.  Page  12. 

Oct.  23, 1745.  Elders  and  delegates  from  the  following  Churches  meet  and  form 
themselves  into  a  Council  for  ordaining  Mr.  Leavitt;  2d  of  Boston,  1st  of  Glouces- 
ter, Kittery,  1st  of  Reading,  Maiden,  and  Topsfield.  This  Council  ordained  Mr. 
L.  the  next  day,  though  3Ir.  Fisk  and  several  of  the  brethren  objected.  So  great 
was  the  disturbance  on  this  occasion,  that  one  of  the  Council  desired  silence.  Some 
justices  belonging  to  the  town,  ordered  a  sheriff  to  stop  him  ;  which  he  did  in  so  un- 
civil a  manner,  as  to  force  him  from  the  pulpit.  Tradition  says  that  Mr.  L.  was  or- 
dained in  Mr.  Kitchen's  garden. 


51 

Mr.  L.'s  church  had  been  some  discommoded  by  the  sentence  of  non-communion 
against  them.  As  a  specimen  in  which  such  non-communion  was  commenced  and 
retracted,  the  following  is  given.  "  March  12,  1735.  Then  the  First  Church  in 
Gloucester  met  by  adjournment  and  voted — 1st,  That  they  concurred  with  the 
Grand  Council  met  at  Salem  from  time  to  time  ;  2d,  and  passed  the  sentence  of 
non-communion  with  the  First  Church  in  Salem.  And  it  was  done  deliberately, 
and  with  a  great  deal  of  awfulncss  and  solemnity.  At  a  Church  meeting,  1745, 
upon  an  humble  confession  of  the  First  Church  in  Salem,  the  First  Church  in  Glou- 
cester released  her  from  the  sentence  of  non-communion,  and  assisted  in  the  ordi- 
nation of  Mr.  Dudley  Leavitt  at  their  request."  Churches  in  Boston  and  other 
towns  passed  similar  votes. 

Dec.  23d.  The  Confederate  Church  vote  to  commune  with  the  members  of  Mr 
Leavitt's  Church,  who  had  been  admitted  by  Mr.  Fisk  since  the  separation  ; — to 
commune  with  those  who  adhered  to  Mr.  F.  at  the  separation,  if  they  confess  their 
fault  for  not  using  proper  means  of  reconciliation  ; — to  have  a  committee  write  and 
desire  Churches,  who  had  passed  sentence  of  non-communion  against  the  First 
Church,  to  withdraw  such  sentence. — Felt's  Annals,  fyc.  p.  430. 

I  am  indebted  to  a  friend  for  the  following  extract  from  a  Journal  of  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Smith,  of  Portland,  then  Falmouth  ;  dated  Nov.  28,  1745.  "  Mr.  Leavitt 
was  ordained  at  Salem  with  vast  disturbance." 

In  the  Boston  Evening  Post,  for  Sept.  19,  1763,  is  a  long  communication  from 
Timothy  Pickering,  father  of  the  late  Timothy  Pickering.  He  was  one  of  the  ad- 
herents of  Mr.  Fisk,  and  was  for  many  years  an  elder  in  the  Church.  In  narrating 
the  difficulties  and  grievances,  which  he  and  his  brethren  had  experienced,  he  thus 
speaks  of  the  "  disturbance"  at  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Leavitt.  "  When  Mr.  L.  was 
ordained,  a  number  of  our  adversaries,  some  of  them  Justices  and  members  of  Mr. 
Barnard's  Church,  came  into  our  meeting-house,  and  made  a  great  disturbance, 
talking  and  menacing,  and  when  one  of  the  ministers  desired  silence,  and  was  go- 
ing to  begin  the  Exercises,  one  of  the  Justices  told  the  Sheriff  to  stop  him.  Ac- 
cordingly he  threw  his  hat  in  his  face,  drove  the  minister  out  of  the  pulpit,"  &c. 

F.     Page  12. 

The  existing  Records  of  the  Church  commenced  at  the  time,  when  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Fisk  formally  requested  an  Assistant  in  the  ministry.  The  brethren  of  the  Church 
assembled  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Samuel  Ruck,  and  proceeded  to  consider  the  Pas- 
tor's request,  after  having  appointed  Dea.  James  Ruck,  Moderator,  and  Timothy 
Pickering,  Scribe.  The  first  entry  upon  the  Records  begins  as  follows  : — "  At  a 
meeting  of  the  Brethren  of  the  First  Church  of  Christ  in  Salem,  at  the  Desire  of  the 
Pastor,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Fisk,  at  the  Dwelling  House  of  Mr.  Samuel  Ruck, 
one  of  the  Brethren  of  said  Church,  on  Monday,  Feb.  the  20th,  A.  D.  1743 — Duly 
warned,"  etc. 

It  should  be  mentioned,  that,  as  until  1752  the  year  began  on  the  25th  of  March, 
the  date  1743  of  the  Records  should  be  1744,  in  order  to  correspond  with  our  pre- 
sent method  of  computing  time  from  the  1st  of  January. 

Church  Meetings  were  simply  meetings  for  business,  until  the  time  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Spaulding.  They  were  then  held  weekly  ;  and  most  of  the  time  was  spent  in 
prayer  and  other  exercises  for  spiritual  improvement.  The  Sisters  of  the  Church 
were  also  now  permitted  and  expected  to  be  present.  Ever  since  the  ministry  of 
Mr.  S.,  the  Church  Meetings  have  been  held  in  the  same  manner  and  for  the  same 
purpose. 


52 

G.     Page  12. 

In  confirmation  of  this  statement,  suffice  it  to  refer  to  the  fact,  that,  in  1752,  Dr. 
Watts'  Psalms  and  Hymns  were  introduced  into  the  services  of  public  worship,  by 
vote  of  the  Church. 

H.     Page  12. 

The  following  is  the  Letter  of  this  Church  to  the  Church  then  under  the  care  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Barnard. 

Brethren — As  the  comfort  and  edification  of  Christians  undoubtedly  depends 
very  much  on  keeping'  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  bonds  of  peace  ;  a  spirit 
of  discord  and  animosity  must  be  directly  contrary  to  the  true  interest  of  religion ; 

And  whereas  such  a  spirit,  has  too  apparently  reigned  for  a  long  time  among  us, 
to  the  great  detriment  of  religion,  and  which  has  rendered  us  in  a  manner  infamous, 
(though  of  late,  we  hope  it  has  in  some  good  measure  subsided,)  and  especially  as 
our  difference  is  about  temporal  things,  which  makes  it  still  more  shameful ; 

We  do  hereby  manifest  our  sincere  desire  of  coming  to  an  amicable  accommo- 
dation ;  that  all  differences  and  disputes  being  settled  between  us,  fellowship  and 
communion  may  take  the  place  of  animosity  and  alienation,  which  we  pray  God 
may  no  more  be  heard  of  among  us. 

As  to  terms,  our  differences  and  disputes  being  about  the  name  and  estate  of  the 
First  Church,  we  are  willing  to  leave  it  to  the  decision  of  indifferent  men,  that  may 
be  mutually  chosen  among  us  ;  by  whose  determination  we  will  abide  satisfied. 

But  as  this  will  necessarily  bring  things  to  mind,  that  had  better  be  forgotten  ;  if 
you  should  think  it  more  proper  to  make  any  proposals  in  order  for  settling  our  af- 
fairs privately  between  ourselves,  we  will  receive  and  consider  such  proposals,  and 
if  found  reasonable,  comply  therewith  ;  and  indeed  should  prefer  this  method  as 
most  condusive  to  peace  and  good  will.  We  trust  you  will  comply  with  this,  our 
reasonable  request,  and  desire  you  would  give  us  an  answer,  that  we  may  know 
your  minds  in  this  affair  as  soon  as  you  conveniently  can. 

And  now  our  name  being  one  thing  in  dispute,  we  will  at  present  call  ourselves  by 
no  other  name  than  the  Church  of  which  the  Rev.  Dudley  Leavitt  was  late  Pastor. 
Signed  by  desire  of  the  Church, 

JOHN  GARDNER, 
RICHARD  LEE, 

Salem,  May  Gth,  1762.  BENJAMIN  ROPES. 

To  Rev.  Mr.  Barnard,  to  be  communicated. 

I.     Page  14. 

To  the  Brethren  of  the  Third  Church  in  Salem, 

Brethren — Messrs.  Procter  and  Pickering,  two  of  your  members,  have  com- 
municated your  vote  of  the  25th  inst.,  signifying  that  it  will  be  very  agreeable  to 
you  and  that  you  desire  we  would  be  present  as  friends  to  you,  and  the  common 
cause  of  Religion  at  your  lecture  to-morrow  ;  when  all  the  Instalment  of  Dr.  Whi- 
taker  which  is  designed  will  be  performed. 

It  is  with  regret  we  decline  complying  with  any  request  of  our  Christian  breth- 
ren ;  but  in  this  transaction  you  design  something  so  unusual  among  our  Churches, 
and  so  unfriendly  to  our  Ecclesiastical  Constitution,  that  we  think  we  shall  rather 
show  ourselves  "  friends  to  you  and  the  common  cause  of  Religion,"  in  absenting 
ourselves  at  a  time  when  our  presence  would  be  construed  an  approbation  of  such 
measures. 


53 

Our  worthy  ami  pious  ancestors  of  this  Province  esteemed  the  Congregational 
plan  of  Church  polity  most  agreeable  to  the  Gospel  and  most  favorable  to  the  reli- 
gions liberties  and  rights  of  individuals  and  societies.  The  First  Church  in  Salcin 
(and  in  the  Province)  from  which  we  all  descended,  did  formerly  from  time  to  time 
solemnly  renew  their  original  covenant,  and  professed  their  adherence  to  Con- 
gregational principles,  and  particularly  that  they  \\  ill  no  way  slight  their  sister 
churches  ;  but  use  their  counsel  as  need  shall  be. 

Now  it  has  been  the  constant  usage  of  these  Churches  from  the  beginning  to  ask 
the  presence  of  sister  churches  in  the  settlement  of  pastors  whether  at  their  first 
ordination  or  instalment,  and  that  for  such  obvious  reasons,  among  others  as  fol- 
lows, to  testify  their  union  and  charity — to  derive  mutual  help  ami  strength  from 
each  other — to  be  so  satisfied  of  the  qualifications  of  pastors,  as  to  embrace  them 
in  their  public  characters,  and  open  their  doors  to  them  in  all  occasional  acts  of 
their  ministry,  and  thereby  maintain  that  friendly  correspondence  and  communion 
which  is  so  beneficial  to  the  common  cause  of  religion. 

It  is  a  maxim  of  prudence  not  to  deviate  from  established  customs  but  for  weighty 
reasons.  Your  departing  therefore  from  the  practice  of  these  churches  into  a  mode 
savoring  of  independency  will  we  fear  be  found  inconvenient  to  yourselves  in  con- 
sequence ;  and  any  act  of  ours  showing  an  approbation  of  it,  may  so  far  as  our 
small  influence  reaches,  be  hurtful  to  the  communion  of  churches,  give  umbrage  to 
our  own  churches  in  particular,  and  bring  us  under  blame  from  those  who  wish  well 
to  our  ecclesiastical  state. 

We  cannot  but  wish  therefore  that  you  would  reconsider  your  proceedings,  and 
shew  the  usual  respect  to  neighbor  churches  walking  in  the  order  of  the  Gospel,  and 
desire  their  presence  and  counsel  in  your  intended  instalment. 

But  if  you  think  it  best  to  proceed  in  this  singular  and  novel  manner,  yet  God 
forbid,  that  we  should  cease  to  pray  for  your  peace,  and  that  pure  religion  and  un- 
defiled  may  flourish  among  you ;  and  your  intended  Pastor  be  an  instrument  of 
greatly  promoting  these  happy  interests. 

We  remain  your  brethren  in  truth  and  fellowship  of  the  gospel, 

JAMES  DIMOND, 
THOMAS  BARNARD, 
NATHANIEL  HOLT. 

The  foregoing  is  extracted  from  a  copy  in  the  Church  Records,  which  is  in  the 
hand-writing  and  with  the  attest  of  Dr.  Whitaker.  Accompai^ing  the  copy  is  a 
marginal  note  from  the  same  pen.  "  N.  B.  The  Wednesday  after  the  instalment, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Barnard  invited  Dr.  Whitaker  to  preach,  and  soon  after  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Dimond  did  the  same ;  and  both  have  preached  for  the  Doctor,  and  have  prayed 
for  him  as  the  Pastor  of  this  Church." 

J.     Page  15. 

The  late  Hon.  Timothy  Pickering  was  undoubtedly  the  writer  of  the  Letter  which 
follows.  He  was  the  individual  who  officiated  in  behalf  of  the  Church  and  Socie- 
ty, when  Dr.  W.  was  inducted  into  his  office. 

To  the  Rev.  Dr.  Whitaker, 

Sir — Some  proposals  in  your  hand-writing  are  presented  to  us  the  aggrieved 
brethren  of  your  Church,  which  seem  to  import  an  intentional  remedy,  or  palliate 
the  mischiefs  which  we  think  are  and  will  be  occasioned  by  the  plan  of  government, 
you  with  fair  words  and  goodly  speeches  persuaded  us  to  adopt ;  but  unhappily 
they  only  seem  to  do  this.     For  not  to  remark  upon  the  absurdity  of  your  making 


54 

two  churches  of  one,  which  is  nevertheless  to  continue  to  be  but  one  ;  what  will 
signify  the  ordinary  acts  of  the  brotherhood,  if  the  ordinary  executive  officer  refuses 
to  execute  them  ? 

And  by  your  proposals  you  are  to  be  at  liberty  to  do  this  or  not  as  you  think  best. 
In  what  does  this  differ  from  an  effectual  negative  ?  Judge,  Doctor,  so  much  arti- 
fice appears  in  these  proposals,  we  cannot  but  consider  them  a  fresh  attempt  to 
impose  on  our  too  credulous  simplicity. 

At  the  time  we  accepted  your  plan  of  Church  Government,  we  must  by  our  vote 
have  thought  ourselves  at  liberty  to  alter  it  if  found  mischievous  or  inconsistent. 
The  reservation  in  that  vote,  must  otherwise  be  most  trifling  and  impertinent. 

But  Doctor,  if  your  proposals  above  mentioned,  to  us  appeared  candid  and  in- 
genuous ;  if  they  contained  any  valuable  concessions  ;  nay,  if  you  were  to  consent 
to  erase  from  its  very  foundations,  your  whole  system  of  church  government ;  what 
would  it  avail  1  Would  the  proud,  the  arrogant,  the  haughty  man,  hereby  be  ren- 
dered humble  ?  or  the  violent  and  overbearing  be  inspired  with  the  mild  and  gentle 
spirit  of  the  Gospel  .'  and  all  the  difficulties  in  your  Church  and  Society  be  re- 
moved ? 

Nevertheless,  we  would  not  refuse  to  reform  one  because  we  cannot  reform  eve- 
ry evil.  And  your  church  government  we  account  a  great  one  ;  and  the  more 
grievous,  because  we  think  you  have  essentially  departed  from  the  spirit  of  it,  and 
your  professed  intention  in  setting  it  up.  We  therefore  earnestly  desire  to  have  it 
totally  demolished ;  and  that  this  Church  may  return  and  rest  upon  the  solid  basis 
of  pure  and  unmixed  Congregationalism. 

We  are,  Rev.  Sir,  your  aggrieved  brethren, 

Signed,  Adison  Richardson,  Stephen  Abbot,  Benjamin  Ropes, 

James  Nichols,  John  Waters,  John  Saunders, 

Timothy  Pickering,  jr.    Thomdike  Procter,     Samuel  Very, 
Robert  Peele,  Samuel  Symonds,       John  Gardner. 

Daniel  Cheever,  Thomas  Needham, 

November  18th,  1773. 


K.     Page  16. 

"  It  was  clandestine,  if  there  was  no  regular  act  of  the  church  for  it,  but  only  the 
petition  to  the  Pastor,  signed  by  twenty -one  particular  persons,  (several  of  which 
say,  they  never  were  members  of  the  Third  Church  in  Salem,  but  were  urged  to 
sign  it  by  the  Doctor;)  and  if  their  signing  it  was  neither  in  an  open  church  meet- 
sng,  nor  in  consequence  of  a  church  vote,  passed  in  a  regular  church  meeting,  au- 
thorizing them  to  do  it ;  nor  in  any  sense  by  the  church  as  an  organic  body ;  but 
separately  and  severally,  by  one  here  and  another  there,  as  the  Doctor's  words  im- 
ply, viz  :  '  I  do  not  remember  /  ever  shelved  it  to  any,  except  two,  who  signed  it 
freely,'  and  in  the  Doctor's  kitchen,  (while  a  church  meeting  was  held  in  his  sitting 
room,)  one  by  one  going  in  and  signing  it,  and  returning,  while  some  of  the  mem- 
bers present  were  entirely  ignorant  that  they  were  signing  the  petition  in  the 
kitchen.  And  if  this  signing  the  petition  was  carried  on  so  privately,  that  the  four- 
teen brethren  knew  nothing  of  it  till  the  church  meeting  to  offer  objections  to  the 
motion,  which,  the  Doctor  says,  was  '  almost  six  months  after  the  date  of  the  ad- 
dress,' then  the  method  ivas  clandestine.  Some  of  the  fourteen  brethren  tell  me, 
they  can  testify,  that  they  knew  nothing  of  the  petition  and  its  being  signed,  nor  of 
the  design  to  apply  to  the  Presbytery,  till  the  Doctor  announced  it  at  his  church 
meeting  on  the  Friday  and  on  the  Sabbath  before  the  Presbytery  was  to  set  at 
Palmer,  and  where  the  objectors  were  to  appear  to  prosecute  their  objections." 


55 

At  a  Proprietors'  Meeting',  warned  by  authority,  to  meet  on  October  17th,  1774, 
the  two  following  votes  were  passed. 

Vote  3.  It  was  put.  Whether  they  approve  of  the  late  innovation  of  a  Presby- 
terian government  ?    And  carried  in  the  negative  unanimously. 

Voted  4.  It  was  put  t«  \ot<\  Whether  they  approved  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Whita- 
ker's  manner  of  making  the  late  innovation  ?  And  it  was  carried  in  the  negative 
unanimously. 

Test,  BENJ.  ROPES,  Proprietors'  Clerk. 

See  a  Pamphlet  entitled  :  "  The  Rev.  Dr.  N.  Whitaker's  Neighbor  is  come,  and 
searcheth  him  :  or  a  Brief  Defence  of  the  late  Council's  Result,  <Scc,  by  John 
Cleaveland,  A.  Al.     A  member  of  said  Council.     Salem,  1784." 

L.     Page  16. 

The  North  Chinch,  or  the  Church  now  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  John 
Brazer,  was  formed  in  1772.  This  Church  then  is  the  Fourth  Congregational 
Church.  The  South  Church  is  of  course,  the  Fifth,  in  order  of  time.  The  Coun- 
cil, however,  which  organized  the  South  Church,  gave  it  the  name  of  the  Third 
Church  ;  because  the  Third  Church  was  then  regarded  as  Presbyterian  and  not 
Congregational. 

M.      Page   18. 

I  here  allude  to  John  Punchard,  Esq.,  an  elder  and  one  of  the  oldest  members  of 
the  Church.  He  made  a  public  profession  of  religion  at  the  Tabernacle  in  1783: 
and  participated  in  all  the  movements  which  immediately  preceded  Dr.  Whitaker's 
dismission.  From  July  8,  1793,  to  July  8,  1833,  he  very  faithfully  discharged  the 
office  of  Clerk  of  the  Church.  In  this  period  of  forty  years,  his  office  was  no  sine- 
cure. The  Records  of  the  Church  bear  witness  to  great  labor,  diligence,  and  ac- 
curacy on  the  part  of  their  Clerk.  Having  been  for  fifty  years  most  intimately  and 
actively  acquainted  with  their  history}  being  in  possession  of  many  facts  which 
they  deemed  worthy  of  preservation  ;  and  enjoying  their  entire  confidence  in  re- 
spect to  his  private  worth  and  his  ability  to  perform  the  service ;  he  was  unani- 
mously and  urgently  desired  to  prepare  a  Memoir  of  the  Church.  This  work  he 
undertook  and  executed  in  1833.  It  occupies  133  full  manuscript  (4to)  pages;  be- 
side a  valuable  Appendix  of  about  50  pages.  When  it  was  completed,  it  was  read 
to  the  Church,  at  successive  meetings,  and  was  heard  with  profound  interest  and 
satisfaction.  A  copy  of  it,  in  a  very  neat  style  of  chirography,  was  deposited  by 
the  Author  among  the  Documents  of  the  Church. 

N.     Page  19. 

Extract  from  the  Result.—"  At  an  adjournment,  the  24th  inst.,  we  were  so  un- 
happy as  to  find,  that  Dr.  Whitaker  had  taken  no  measures  to  remove  the  difficul- 
ties subsisting  between  him  and  the  Church  and  Society  over  which  he  had  presid- 
ed ;  but  on  the  contrary,  under  his  hand  explicitly  resigned  his  pastoral  relation  to 
them,  yea  absolutely  denied  that  he  ever  was  a  Pastor  over  them  as  a  Congrega- 
tional Church,  and  declared  that  he  never  will  be  the  Pastor  of  a  Church  of  that  de- 
scription ;  and  the  Church  on  their  part  declared  before  the  Council,  that  they  can- 
not receive  Dr.  N.  Whitaker  as  their  Pastor : — 

Therefore,  resolved,  That  it  is  the  opinion  of  this  Council  that  the  pastoral  rela- 
tion, which  they  have  heretofore  mutually  acknowledged,  is  now  as  mutually  dis- 
solved by  them. 


56 

Resolved,  therefore,  That  the  acknowledged  pastoral  relation  is,  Ipso  Facto,  dis- 
solved; and  they  think  it  is  their  duty  to  declare,  that  Doctor  Nathaniel  Whitaker 
is  no  longer  the  Pastor  of  the  Church  and  Society  usually  meeting  in  the  Tabernacle. 

That  since  Doctor  Whitaker  has  absolutely  and  in  the  most  peremptory  terms 
refused  to  submit  his  cause  to  this  Council  or  any  Judicatory  mutually  chosen  be- 
tween him  and  the  aggrieved  brethren  of  the  Church,  even  though  one  half  should 
consist  of  Presbyterians  ;  we  were  constrained  to  take  a  general  review  of  the  Doc- 
tor's character  and  conduct  since  his  settlement  in  Salem  ;  and  upon  such  view, 
the  Council  do  declare  that  in  their  opinion  he  has  forfeited  his  character  as  a  min- 
ister of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  therefore  ought  to  be  suspended  from  the  exercise 
of  his  office. 

We  cannot  conclude  without  expressing  with  a  very  painful  sense,  the  unhappy 
breach  that  has  been  made  between  Doctor  Whitaker  and  the  people  of  his  charge  ; 
nor  can  we  help  expressing  our  surprise,  that  a  gentleman  of  such  ministerial  accom- 
plishments, should  appear  so  deaf  to  the  cries  of  his  brethren,  and  so  insensible  of 
the  deep  wounds  which  a  conduct  like  his  must  give,  not  only  to  his  own  character 
and  usefulness,  but  to  the  ministry  in  general,  and  to  the  cause  and  interest  of  the 
Redeemer.  *  *  *  *  And  as  for  our  brethren  in  whose  service  we 
have  spent  so  much  time,  we  exhort  them  to  prize  and  improve  those  blessings  and 
immunities  they  claim  for  themselves,  and  which  they  and  we  apprehend  they  may 
enjoy  under  the  Congregational  form  of  government.  We  earnestly  enjoin  it  upon 
them  to  stand  fast  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  made  them  free,  and  not  to 
be  entangled  with  the  yoke  of  bondage.  Brethren,  you  are  called  to  liberty;  only 
use  not  your  liberty  as  an  occasion  to  the  flesh,  but  by  love  serve  one  another.  Fi- 
nally, brethren,  farewell,  be  perfect,  be  of  one  mind,  live  in  peace,  and  the  God  of 
love  and  peace  shall  be  with  you. 

Library  Chamber,  February  26th,  1784. 

Eli  Forbes,  Scribe.  JOSEPH  ROBIE,  Moderator." 

O.     Page  20. 

1784.  Salem  Presbytery  at  Groton,  June  14th,  justify  Dr.  W. ;  decide  that  his 
relation  to  his  Church  shall  be  dissolved  when  his  Society  shall  have  paid  him  his 
due,  and  withdraw  fellowship  from  his  Church.  The  Presbyter}-  say,  Sept.  9th, 
that  they  cited  the  twenty  brethren  of  Dr.  W.'s  Church  to  appear  before  them,  to 
prove  their  charges  against  him,  and  show,  cause  why  they  should  not  be  cut  off 
from  the  Presbytery  ;  but  that  these  brethren  had  done  neither.  The  Presbytery 
renew  their  excommunication  of  Dr.  W.'s  Church,  and  their  recommendation  of 
him. — Felt's  Annals,  fyc,p.  520. 

P.     Page  21. 

Dea.  Win.  Safford. — To  raise  $1100,  which  was  awarded  by  the  Referees  to 
Dr.  W.,  he  made  a  forced  sale  of  stocks  at  5s  3d  on  the  dC,  for  a  large  part  of  the 
amount.  The  Proprietors  of  the  Tabernacle  were  not  aware  of  being  at  all  in- 
debted to  the  Pastor,  until  the  award  was  given.  And  when  they  were  called  to 
make  payment,  it  was  almost  impossible  to  obtain  even  very  small  sums  of  money, 
and  upon  the  very  best  securities. 

Q.     Page  22. 

It  ought  here  to  be  stated,  that  the  relative  value  of  money  was  at  that  time 
much  greater  than  it  is  now. 


57 
R.     Page  23. 

The  "  Half- Way  Covenant''  required  of  those  who  assented  to  it,  that  they 
should  be  strict  in  the  duties  of  morality. 

"  The  plan,  briefly  stated,  was  this  : — All  persons,  who  had  been  baptized  in  in- 
fancy, or  at  some  subsequent  period,  and  who  sustained  a  good  moral  character, 
were  admitted,  on  requesting  it,  to  a  Covenarit.  And  on  condition  of  their  assum- 
ing such  covenant,  their  infants  and  young  children  were  admitted  to  baptism, 
although  neither  of  the  parents  had  been  members  of  the  church  in  full  communion. 
The  covenant,  which  they  assented  to,  was  not  in  the  same  terms  in  all  churches, 
although  of  similar  import.''—  Upham's  Ratio  Disciplince,  p.  221. 

S.     Page  32. 

He  died,  and  was  buried  at  Braincrd,  one  of  the  "  stations"  of  the  American 
Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  3Iissions,  among  the  Cherokees.  He  left 
home  in  January,  1821,  upon  a  voyage  to  New  Orleans,  and  a  visit  to  the  Indian 
Missionary  establishments,  in  hope  of  thereby  recruiting  his  health. 

T.     Page  37. 

Among  the  principles  and  rules  of  this  Church,  those  which  relate  to  the  choice 
and  settlement  of  a  Pastor,  may  be  interesting  to  some,  into  whose  hands  this  Dis- 
course may  fall. 

"That,  in  the  choice  of  a  Pastor,  the  church  must  obtain  satisfaction  respecting 
the  person's  qualifications  for  the  office,  agreeably  to  the  Apostle's  directions  to 
Timothy  and  Titus ;  respecting  his  experimental  acquaintance  with  Christianity, 
as  well  as  competent  gifts,  abilities,  knowledge,  and  wisdom,  for  the  office,  agreea- 
ble to  chap,  viii,  sect.  4,  of  Platform. 

"  To  prevent  as  much  as  possible  any  unconverted  minister  ever  having  the 
charge  of  this  church,  we  think  it  necessary,  that  such  persons  as  may  be  set  over 
us  in  the  Lord,  should  give  the  church  a  particular  account  of  what  God  has  done 
for  them,  by  a  work  of  grace  upon  their  hearts,  and  sign  the  articles  of  the  church, 
before  ordination  to  the  pastoral  office  over  it." — Articles  XV  and  XVI,  of  the 
Tabernacle  Church. 

U.     Page  38. 

Extracts  from  the  Covenant  of  the  First  Church,  as  adopted  April  13th,  1680— 
which  was  subscribed  by  Mr.  Leavitt  and  twenty-one  brethren  of  his  Church  on 
the  day  of  his  ordination,  24th  of  October,  1745. 

"We,  who  (through  the  mercy  of  God)  are  members  of  this  Church  of  Salem, 
being  now  assembled  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  after  humble  confession  of  our  manifold  breaches  of  covenant  with  the  Lord 
our  God,  and  earnest  supplication  for  his  pardoning  mercy  through  the  blood  of 
Christ,  and  deep  acknowledgement  of  our  own  unworthiness  to  be  owned  as  the 
Lord's  covenant  people ;  also  acknowledging  our  inability  to  keep  covenant  with 
God,  or  to  perform  any  spiritual  duty  unless  the  Lord  enable  us  thereunto  by  the 
grace  of  his  Spirit,  and  yet  being  awfully  sensible  that  in  these  times  by  the  loud 
voice  of  his  judgments  both  felt  and  feared,  the  Lord  is  calling  us  all  to  repentance 
and  reformation:  we  do,  therefore,  in  humble  confidence  of  his  gracious  assistance 
through  Christ,  renew  our  covenant  with  God,  and  one  with  another  in  the  manner 
following : — 

1.  We  do  give  up  ourselves  to  that  God  whose  name  alone  is  Jehovah,  Father, 
Son,  and  Spirit,  as  the  only  true  and  living  God,  and  unto  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 

8 


58 

as  our  only  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  as  the  on]}'  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King  over 
our  souls,  and  only  Mediator  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  engaging  our  hearts  unto 
this  God  in  Christ  by  the  help  of  his  Spirit  of  grace,  to  cleave  unto  him  as  our  God 
and  chief  good,  and  unto  Jesus  Christ  as  our  Mediator  by  faith,  in  a  way  of  Gosper 
obedience,  as  beconieth  his  covenant  people  forever. 

2.  We  do  also  give  up  our  offspring  unto  God  in  Jesus  Christ,  avouching  the 
Lord  to  be  our  God  and  the  God  of  our  children,  and  ourselves  with  our  children 
to  be  his  people,  humbly  adoring  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  we  and  our 
children  may  be  looked  upon  as  the  Lord's. 

3.  We  do  also  give  up  ourselves  one  to  another  in  the  Lord  according  to  the 
will  of  God,  to  walk  together  as  a  Church  of  Christ  in  all  the  ways  of  his  worship 
and  service  ;  according  to  the  rules  of  the  word  of  God,  promising  in  brotherly  love, 
faithfully  to  watch  over  one  another's  souls,  and  to  submit  ourselves  to  the  disci- 
pline and  government  of  Christ  in  his  Church,  and  duly  to  attend  the  Seals  and 
Censures,  and  whatever  ordinances  Christ  hath  commanded  to  be  observed  by  his 
people  according  to  the  order  of  the  Gospel,  so  far  as  the  Lord  hath  or  shall  reveal 
unto  us." 

These  extracts,  although  from  a  Covenant,  are  sufficient  to  show  what  kind  of 
doctrine  the  Church  believed,  at  the  time  of  Mr.  L.'s  ordination.  It  was  about 
seven  years  afterwards,  that  Dr.  Watts'  Version  of  the  Psalms,  &c.  was  introduc- 
ed into  their  worship.  It  is  not  probable,  that  this  work  could  have  gained  admis- 
sion into  any  of  the  other  churches  in  town. 

I  would  here  take  occasion  to  notice  an  error,  which  has  long  been  entertained, 
concerning  the  Covenants  of  the  First  Chukch. 

In  the  Letter  of  Messrs.  Dimond,  Barnard,  and  Holt,  (Appendix  I,)  it  is  staled 
that  the  First  Church  in  Salem  were  accustomed  formerly,  from  time  to  time,  to 
renew  their  original  Covenant.  The  language  would  seem  to  refer  to  the  first 
covenant  of  the  Church ;  that  is,  the  covenant  adopted  in  1629.  In  the  Recoids 
of  the  Tabernacle  Church,  there  is  a  Transcript  of  a  Pamphlet  entitled,  "  A  Copy 
of  the  Church  Covenants  which  have  been  used  in  the  Church  of  Salem,  formerly, 
and  in  their  late  reviewing  of  the  Covenant  on  the  day  of  the  Public  Fast,  April 
15th,  1680.  *  *  *  Boston,  printed  at  the  desire  and  for  the  use  of 
many  in  Salem,  for  themselves  and  children,  by  J.  F.,  1680."  It  begins  as  fol- 
lows : — "  There  was  a  Church  Covenant  agreed  upon  and  consented  to  by  the 
Church  of  Salem  at  their  first  beginning  in  the  year  1629,  Aug.  6th." 

"  The  following  Covenant  was  propounded  by  the  Pastor,  was  agreed  upon  and 
consented  to  by  the  brethren  of  the  Church,  in  the  year  1636. 

"  We  whose  names  are  here  underwritten,  members  of  the  present  Church  of 
Christ  in  Salem,  having  found  by  sad  experience  how  dangerous  it  is  to  sit  loose 
from  the  covenant  we  make  with  our  God,  and  how  apt  we  are  to  wander  into  by- 
paths, even  unto  the  loosing  (losing?)  of  our  first  aims  in  entering  into  church  fel- 
lowship ;  do  therefore  solemnly  in  the  presence  of  the  eternal  God,  both  for  our 
own  comforts,  and  those  who  shall  or  may  be  joined  unto  us,  renew  the  Church 
Covenant  we  find  this  Church  bound  unto  at  their  first  beginning,  viz  :  '  That  we 
covenant  with  the  Lord,  and  one  with  another,  and  do  bind  ourselves  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  to  walk  together  in  all  his  ways,  according  as  he  is  pleased  to  reveal 
himself  unto  us  in  his  blessed  word  of  truth  ;'  and  do  more  explicitly,  in  the  name 
and  fear  of  God,  profess  and  protest  to  walk  as  follow eth,  through  the  power  and 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

1.  We  avouch  the  Lord  to  be  our  God,  and  ourselves  to  be  his  people,  in  the 
truth  and  simplicity  of  our  spirits. 


59 

2.  We  give  ourselves  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  word  of  his  grace,  for 
the  teaching,  ruling,  and  sanctifying  of  us  in  matters  of  worship  and  conversation, 
resolving  to  cleave  unto  him  alone  for  life  and  glory,  and  to  reject  all  contrary 
ways,  canons,  and  institutions  of  men  in  his  worship. 

3.  We  promise  to  walk  with  our  brethren,  with  all  watchfulness  and  tenderness, 
avoiding  jealousies  and  suspicions,  back-bitings,  censurings,  provokings,  secret  ris- 
ings of  spirit  against  them  ;  but  in  all  offences  to  follow  the  rule  of  our  Lord  Jesus, 
and  to  bear  and  forbear,  give  and  forgive,  as  he  hath  taught  us. 

4.  In  public  or  private,  we  will  willingly  do  nothing  to  the  offence  of  the  Church  ; 
but  will  be  willing  to  take  advice  for  ourselves  and  ours,  as  occasion  shall  be  pre- 
sented. 

5.  We  will  not  in  the  congregation  be  forward  either  to  show  our  own  gifts  and 
parts  in  speaking  or  scrupling,  or  there  discover  the  weakness  or  failings  of  our 
brethren  ;  but  attend  an  orderly  call  thereunto,  knowing  how  much  the  Lord  may 
be  dishonored,  and  his  gospel,  and  the  profession  of  it,  slighted  by  our  distempers 
and  weaknesses  in  public. 

6.  We  bind  ourselves  to  study  the  advancement  of  the  gospel  in  all  truth  and 
peace  ;  both  in  regard  to  those  that  are  within  or  without ;  no  way  slighting  our  sis- 
ter churches,  but  using  their  counsel,  as  need  shall  be  ;  not  laying  a  stumbling-block 
before  any.  no.  not  the  Indians,  whose  good  we  desire  to  promote ;  and  so  to  con- 
verse, as  we  may  avoid  the  very  appearance  of  evil. 

7.  We  do  hereby  promise  to  carry  ourselves  in  all  lawful  obedience  to  those  that 
are  over  us,  in  Church  or  Commonwealth,  knowing  how  well  pleasing  it  will  be  to 
the  Lord,  that  they  should  have  encouragement  in  their  places,  by  our  not  grieving 
their  spirits  through  our  irregularities. 

8.  We  resolve  to  appro\e  ourselves  to  the  Lord  in  our  particular  callings  ;  shun- 
ning idleness  as  the  bane  of  any  State ;  nor  will  we  deal  hardly  or  oppressingly 
with  any,  wherein  we  are  the  Lord's  stewards. 

9.  Promising  also  unto  our  best  ability  to  teach  our  children  and  servants  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  of  His  Will,  that  they  may  serve  him  also  ;  and  all  this  not 
by  any  strength  of  our  own,  but  by  the  Lord  Christ ;  whose  blood  we  desire  may 
sprinkle  this  our  Covenant  made  in  His  name." 

I  have  seen  tit  to  throw  into  the  form  of  a  quotation  that  part  of  the  Preamble  of 
the  foregoing  Covenant,  which  I  suspect  was,  in  substance  at  least,  the  Covenant 
"  which  the  Church  was  bound  unto  at  their  first  beginning."  And  I  have  italicis- 
ed the  sentences  immediately  preceding  and  following,  so  that  the  sense  of  the 
whole  may  be  more  obvious.  It  was  the  first  covenant  which  was  renewed.  Not 
satisfied,  I  suppose,  with  this  brief  formula,  and  wishing  to  notice  some  points  sug- 
gested by  the  circumstances  of  the  times,  the  members  of  the  Church  in  1636,  "  did 
more  explicitly  profess  and  protest  to  walk  as  followeth ;"  that  is,  according  to  the 
more  detailed  expression  of  their  obligations  and  engagements.  Any  one  who  is 
acquainted  with  the  history  of  the  town  from  1630  to  1037,  will  perceive  that  this 
"more  explicit  profession  and  protestation,"  contains  divers  local  allusions  which 
would  be  utterly  inexplicable  upon  the  supposition,  that  it  was  prepared  for  the 
Church  at  its  beginning.  In  fact,  almost  the  whole  of  it  implies  that  the  Church 
had  been  for  some  years  in  existence,  had  had  "  sad  experience  of  the  danger  of 
sitting  loose"  from  their  covenant,  and  had  suffered  grievously  from  "jealousies," 
etc.  from  unwillingness  "  to  take  advice,"  etc.  from  "  forwardness  to  show  gifts  or 
parts  in  speaking,"  etc.  etc.  The  dissensions  which  were  occasioned  by  Roger 
Williams,  shed  light  upon  the  6th  and  7th  Articles.  It  would  not  have  been  so  na- 
tural, in  August  1629,  as  in  1636,  to  speak  of  the  duty  of  "  not  laying  a  stumbling- 
block  before  any,  no,  not  the  Indians."    The  conclusion  is  to  my  mind  irresistible, 


60 

from  the  internal  evidence  alone,  that  the  Covenant,  printed  in  the  Magnalia  of  Ma- 
ther, and  often  cited  as  the  Covenant  of  the  First  Church  at  its  beginning,  could  not 
have  been  the  first  Covenant  of  that  Church.  It  was,  as  is  stated  in  the  Tran- 
script alluded  to  above,  "  the  Covenant  propounded  by  the  Pastor,  agreed  upon, 
and  consented  to,  by  the  brethren  in  1636."  Hugh  Peters  was  at  this  time  the 
Pastor. 

Not  apprehending,  perhaps,  the  limitation  of  the  term  "  reneiced"  to  the  brief  or 
condensed  Covenant  of  1629,  and  overlooking  the  import  of  several  qualifying  or 
discriminating  words,  the  learned  author  of  the  Magnalia,  or  some  one  before  him, 
may  have  been  led  into  a  mistake,  which  all  subsequent  writers  have  adopted,  and 
from  which  some  have  deduced  inferences  entirely  at  variance  with  historical  fact. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Fisk,  or  some  other  person,  who  copied  the  Covenant  of  1636  into 
the  existing  Records  of  the  First  Church,  has  a  marginal  note  to  this  effect :  "  Sixth 
of  6th  month,  1629,  this  Covenant  was  publicly  signed  and  declared."  Hence  the 
"  Cop}'  from  the  Salem  Church  Book,"  as  published  in  the  Appendix  to  Dr.  Bent- 
ley's  "  Description  of  Salem," — His.  Col.  Vol.  VI.  How  these  gentlemen  and 
others  ever  interpreted  the  Preamble,  in  consistency  with  the  date  thus  assigned  to 
the  whole,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  conjecture. 

Si  quid  novisti  rectius  istis, 
Candide  imperii.    Si  non,  his  utere  mecum. 

Some  further  remarks  upon  this  subject  may  be  found  in  a  subsequent  Note. 
See  Appendix  \V. 

V.     Page  39. 

Of  the  sons  of  the  Tabernacle  now  in  the  ministry,  are  Rev.  Robert  Crowe!!,  of 
Essex;  Rev.  William  Gould,  of  Fairhaven  ;  Rev.  Joseph  B.  Felt,  of  Boston  ;  Rev. 
John  Foote,  of  Beverly ;  Rev.  Nehemiah  Adams,  of  Boston ;  Rev.  George  Pun- 
chard,  of  Plymouth,  N.  H. ;  Rev.  Stephen  C.  Millet,  of  Salem;  Rev.  Benjamin 
Obear,  of  Newbury.  There  are  also  several  young  gentlemen,  who  have  recently 
been  licensed  to  preach,  or  are  in  a  course  of  preparatory  studies. 

W.     Page  41. 

In  the  settlement  of  New  England,  Creeds  or  Confessions  of  Faith  were  of  much 
less  importance  than  they  now  are.  There  was  a  delightful  harmony  among  the 
colonists,  in  regard  to  their  views  of  the  doctrines  of  grace. 

Hie  First  Church  of  this  tmcn,  however,  had  a  Confession  of  Faith,  as  well  as  a 
Covenant.  I  have  already  stated  (Appendix  U.)  what  I  suppose  that  Covenant 
was.  The  Confession  of  Faith  has  not  been  discovered.  From  the  subjoined  au- 
thorities, it  will  be  seen,  that  there  teas  a  Confession  of  Faith — a  document  not  to 
be  identified  with  the  Covenant  of  1629  or  that  of  1636 — and  that  those  who  united 
with  the  Church  gave  their  assent  to  the  Confession  of  Faith  as  well  as  to  the  Cove- 
nant.    It  will  also  be  seen  what  respect  was  shown  to  the  brethren  at  Plymouth. 

"  Mr.  Higginson  and  Mr.  Skelton,  and  other  good  people  that  arrived  at  Salem, 
in  the  year  1629,  resolved,  like  their  father  Abraham,  to  begin  their  plantation  viith 
calling  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord.  The  great  Mr.  Hildersham  had  advised  our 
first  planters  to  agree  fully  upon  their  form  of  Church  Government,  before  their 
coming  into  Neiv  England;  but  they  indeed  agreed  little  further  than  in  this  gene- 
ral principle,  that  the  reformation  of  the  Church  was  to  be  endeavored  according  to 
the  written  word  of  God.  Accordingly  ours,  now  arrived  at  Salem,  consulted  with 
their  brethren  at  Plymouth,  what  steps  to  take  for  the  more  exact  acquainting  of 
themselves  with,  and  conforming  themselves  to,  that  written  word:  and  the  Plymo- 


61 

theans,  to  their  great  satisfaction,  laid  before  them  what  ivarrant,  they  judged,  that 
they  had  in  the  laws  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  every  particular  in  their  Church  order. 

Whereupon,  having  the  concurrence  and  countenance  of  their  deputy  governor, 
the  worshipful  John  Kndicolt.  Esq.,  and  the  approving  presence  of  the  messengers 
from  the  Church  of  Plymouth,  they  set  apart  the  sixth  day  of  August,  after  their  ar- 
rival, for  fasting  and  prayer,  for  the  settling  of  a  Church  State  among  them,  and 
for  their  making  a.  confession  of  their  Faith,  and  entering  into  an  holy  Covenant, 
whereby  that  Church  State  was  formed." — Magnolia,  vol.  i,pp.  66,  67. 

"  The  religious  people  at  Salem,  designing  to  settle  in  a  church  state,  as  near  as 
they  can  to  the  rules  of  the  gospel,  apprehend  it  needful  for  the  thirty  who  begin  the 
church  to  enter  solemnly  into  covenant,  one  with  another,  in  the  presence  of  God, 
to  walk  together  before  him  according  to  his  holy  word,  and  then  ordain  their  min- 
isters to  the  several  offices  to  which  they  had  been  chosen.  Mr.  lligginson  being 
desired,  draws  up  a  confession  of  faith  and  church  covenant  according  to  Scripture  ; 
thirty  copies  are  written,  one  delivered  to  every  member;  and  the  church  at  Ply- 
mouth invited  to  the  solemnity,  that  the  church  at  Salem  may  have  the  approbation 
and  concurrence,  if  not  the  direction  and  assistance  of  the  other. 

August  6th,  being  Thursday,  the  appointed  day  being  come,  after  the  prayers 
and  sermons  of  the  two  ministers,  in  the  end  of  the  day,  the  said  confession  and 
covenant  being  read  in  the  public  assembly,  are  solemnly  consented  to;  and  they 
immediately  proceed  to  ordain  their  ministers.'' — Prince's  New  England  Chrono- 
logy.    See  also  Magnolia,  vol.  i,  pp.  328,  329. 

"It  was  desired  of  Mr.  Higginson,  to  draw  up  a  Confession  of  Faith  and  Cove- 
nant in  Scripture  language;  which  being  done,  was  agreed  upon.  0=  And  be- 
cause they  foresaw  that  this  wilderness  might  be  looked  upon  as  a  place  of  liberty, 
and  therefore  might  be  troubled  with  erroneous  spirits,  therefore  they  did  put  in  one 
article  into  the  Confession  of  Faith,  on  purpose,  about  the  duty  and  power  of  the 
magistrate  in  matters  of  religion.  Thirty  copies,"  etc. — Morton's  New  England 
Memorial,  Boston  Edition,  1826,  pp.  145,  1-16. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  Confession  of  Faith  is  not  now  to  be  found.  We 
can,  however,  have  no  question  upon  its  general  character.  As  the  Pastors  and 
the  Members  of  the  Church  were  Trinitarians  and  Calvinists,  they  woidd  of  course 
have  a  Trinitarian  and  Calvinistic  Confession  of  Faith.  From  their  whole  proceed- 
ings it  is  indisputable,  that  the  fathers  of  the  First  Church  and  of  this  town  were  not 
less  rigorous  and  uncompromising  than  any  of  their  descendants  or  successors  have 
been,  in  respect  to  the  terms  of  Church  Membership  and  admission  to  the  Table  of 
the  Lord.  It  would  be  great  injustice  to  their  memories,  to  represent  them  as  dis- 
posed to  make  the  Lord's  Supper  accessible  to  those  who  differed  from  them  in 
what  thev  considered  the  substantial  and  essential  doctrines  of  grace. 

In  the  citations  which  I  have  made,  we  have  the  true  explanation  of  the  absence 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  etc.  from  the  Covenant  of  1636  ;  that  is,  the  Cove- 
nant, which,  as  I  believe,  has  been  erroneously  called  the  first  Covenant  of  the 
First  Church.  That  document  was  not  intended  to  answer  any  other  purpose  than 
that  of  a  Covenant. 

The  Covenant,  of  1680,  has  an  indirect  recognition  of  the  Trinity.  And  the 
whole  spirit  of  it  is  very  decidedly  evangelical. 

When  the  separation  took  place  in  1735,  it  is  probable,  that  there  was  no  Con- 
fession of  Faith  in  the  Records  of  the  Church.  It  was  not,  perhaps,  thought  neces- 
sary. The  main  object  of  a  Confession  of  Faith  was  secured  by  the  course  which 
was  taken  with  candidates  for  admission  to  the  Church. 

The  present  Covenant  of  the  Tabernacle  Church  was  so  constructed  or  modified, 
as  to  be  both  a  Confession  of  Faith  and  Covenant. 


62 

"  We,  whose  names  are  underwritten,  apprehending  ourselves  called  of  God  into 
a  gospel  church  state,  deeply  sensible  how  unworthy  we  are  of  so  high  a  privilege, 
cannot  but  admire  that  rich  and  free  grace  which  triumphs  over  so  great  unworthi- 
ness.  But  with  humble  reliance  on  the  aids  of  that  grace,  which  is  promised  to  all, 
who,  with  a  true  sense  of  their  guilt  and  ruin,  return  to  God  for  pardon  and  help, 
we  thankfully  lay  hold  on  his  covenant.  Avouching,  this  day,  the  Lord  Jehovah, 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  to  be  our  God,  our  Father,  our  Savior,  and  our 
Leader,  we  humbly  give  up  ourselves  to  him,  and  receive  him  as  our  portion  for- 
ever. We  give  up  ourselves  and  our  all  to  the  blessed  Jesus,  whom  we  acknowl- 
edge as  Almighty  God,  and,  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  engage  to  adhere  to  him,  as 
head  over  all  things  to  his  chuich  and  people,  reiving  upon  him  as  our  Prophet, 
Priest,  and  King,  to  bring  us  to  eternal  blessedness.  We  acknowledge  our  ever- 
lasting and  indispensable  obligations  to  glorify  our  God,  in  all  the  duties  of  a  holy, 
sober,  and  religious  life.  Depending,  therefore,  on  his  powerful  grace,  we  engage 
to  walk  together,  particularly  in  a  church  state,  in  the  faith  and  order  of  the  gospel, 
as  far  as  we  shall  have  the  same  revealed  to  us  by  the  word  and  Spirit  of  God; 
conscientiously  attending  the  worship  of  God  in  all  its  parts,  in  secret,  in  the  fami- 
ly, and  in  public,  upon  the  sacraments  of  the  New  Testament,  baptism,  and  the 
Lord's  supper,  upon  the  discipline  of  his  kingdom,  and  upon  all  his  holy  institutions. 
Declaring  our  firm  belief  of  the  Christian  religion,  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  and  of  such  a  view  of  it,  substantially,  as  the  West- 
minster Catechism  exhibits,  we  heartily  resolve  to  conform  ourselves  to  it  as  long 
as  we  shall  live  in  the  world.  Affectionately  giving  up  ourselves  to  one  another  in 
the  Lord,  we  solemnly  covenant  faithfully  to  watch  over  each  other,  to  seek  the 
promotion  of  each  other's  spiritual  good,  to  submit  ourselves  to  the  discipline  and 
government  of  Christ  in  his  church,  and  watchfully  to  avoid  all  sinful  stumbling- 
blocks  and  contentions,  as  become  a  people,  whom  the  Lord  hath  bound  up  to- 
gether in  the  same  bundle  of  life.  At  the  same  time,  we  also  dedicate  our  off- 
spring with  us  to  the  Lord,  purposing  with  his  help  faithfully  to  perform  our  duty 
to  them  in  the  methods  of  a  religious  education,  that  the  Lord  may  be  their  God. 

"  All  this  we  do,  relying  on  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant  for  the  pardon 
of  our  many  transgressions,  and  praying  that  the  glorious  Lord,  who  is  the  great 
Shepherd,  would  prepare  and  strengthen  us  in  every  good  work  to  do  his  will, 
working  in  us  that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  his  sight ;  to  whom  be  glory  forever 
and  ever.     Amen." — See  Articles,  fyc.  Tabernacle,  pp.  8,  9. 

The  present  Covenant  of  the  First  Church  is  also  a  Confession  of  Faith  as  well 
as  a  Covenant. 

"  We  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  Messiah  5  and  we  receive  his  religion  as  the 
rule  of  our  lives,  and  as  a  revelation  from  God. 

"  We  have  a  deep  sense  of  the  imperfection  of  our  past  services,  and  of  our  need 
of  improvement ;  and  we  are  desirous  of  performing  all  our  religious  duties,  and  of 
using  all  the  means  of  grace  provided  for  us. 

"  With  such  views  and  feelings,  we  enter  into  the  Communion  of  Disciples  of 
Christ,  as  members  of  his  visible  Church. 

"  It  is  our  earnest  wish  and  prayer,  that  we  may  imitate  his  example,  imbibe  his 
spirit,  and  obey  his  precepts  ;  and  that  by  walking  together  in  the  fellowship  of  the 
Gospel  here,  we  may  become  prepared  for  admission  hereafter  into  the  Church  of 
the  redeemed  in  Heaven."— Rev.  Mr.  Upham's  Second  Century  Lecture,  pp.  69, 70. 

X.     Page  42. 

"  However,  such  was  the  hold  which  the  grace  of  God  now  took  of  him,  that  he 
became  an  eminent  Christian,  and  a  worthy  and  useful  person,  and  not  only  after- 


63 

wards  joined  unto  the  Church  in  Boston,  but  also  made  a  great  figure  in  the  Com- 
ltd,  as  the  major-general  of  all  the  forces  in  the  colony  : 
it  was  Major-General  Gibbons." — Magnolia.,  vol.  i,  p.  329. 

"  As  for  the  circumstances  of  admission  into  this  church,  they  left  it  very  much 
unto  the  discretion  and  faithfulness  of  their  elders,  together  with  the  condition  of 
the  persons  to  be  admitted.  Some  were  admitted  by  expressing  their  consent  unto 
their  confession  and  covenant ;  some  were  admitted  after  their  first  answering  to 
questions  about  religion,  propounded  unto  them  ;  some  were  admitted,  when  they 
had  presented  in  writing  such  things  as  might  give  satisfaction  unto  the  people  of 
God  concerning  them ;  and  some  that  were  admitted,  orally  addressed  the  people 
of  God  in  such  terms  as  they  thought  proper  to  ask  their  communion  with  ;  which 
diversity  was  perhaps  more  beautiful,  than  would  have  been  a  more  punctilious 
uniformity  :  hut  none  were  admitted  without  regard  unto  a  blameless  and  holy 
conversation." — Magnolia,  vol.  i.  p.  67. 

It  was  by  means  of  a  personal  and  particular  examination,  or  by  some  equiva- 
lent method,  that  the  Brethren  satisfied  themselves  in  regard  to  the  doctrinal  and 
experimental  views  of  candidates  for  admission  to  the  Church.  Their  successors 
doubtless  continued  the  practice,  and  thus  always  endeavored  to  ascertain  what 
were  the  sentiments  and  feelings  of  those  whom  they  permitted  to  subscribe  or  ac- 
knowledge their  Covenant.  Such.  I  suppose,  was  the  practice  at  the  time  of  the 
separation  in  1735  ;  and  such  is  still  the  practice  in  the  Tabernacle  Church.  We 
do  not  confine  any  one  to  that  "  form  of  words"  which  we  hold  fast,  "  but  only  to 
the  substance,  end,  and  scope  of  the  matter  contained  therein."  This,  Morton 
says  (see  N.  E.  Memorial)  was  true  of  the  First  Church  at  its  beginning.  We, 
however,  as  did  they,  satisfy  ourselves  respecting  the  seme,  in  which  Scripture 
language  or  canonical  language  is  interpreted  by  those,  who  would  be  admitted  to 
our  communion  and  fellowship.  If  we  do  not  "see  eye  to  eye,"  we  cannot  "  walk 
together,"  because  we  are  not  "  agreed." 

Y.     Page  44. 

"  If  God  reveal  any  thing  to  you  by  any  other  instrument  of  his,  be  as  ready  to 
receive  it,  as  ever  you  were  to  receive  any  truth  by  my  ministry;  for  I  am  verily 
persuaded,  I  am  very  confident,  the  Lord  hath  more  truth  yet  to  break  forth  out 
of  his  holv  Word.  For  my  part,  I  cannot  sufficiently  bewail  the  condition  of  the 
Reformed  Churches,  who  are  come  to  a  period  in  religion  ;  and  will  go  at  present 
no  further  than  the  instruments  of  their  Reformation.  The  Lutherans  cannot  be 
drawn  to  go  beyond  what  Luther  saw  :  whatever  part  of  his  will  our  good  God 
has  imparted  and  revealed  unto  Calvin,  they  will  rather  die  than  embrace  it.  And 
the  Calvinists,  you  see,  stick  fast  where  they  were  left  by  that  great  man  of  God, 
who  yet  saw  not  all  things. 

This  is  a  misery  much  to  be  lamented  ;  for  though  they  were  burning  and  shin- 
in<r  lights  in  their  time,  yet  they  penetrated  not  into  the  whole  comisel  of  God ;  but 
were  they  now  living,  they  would  be  as  willing  to  embrace  further  light,  as  that 
which  they  first  received.  I  beseech  you  to  remember  it ;  it  is  an  article  of  your 
Church  Covenant,  That  you  will  be  ready  to  receive  whatever  truth  shall  be  made 
known  unto  you  from  the  written  word  of  God.  Remember  that,  and  every  other 
article  of  your  most  sacred  covenant.  But  I  must  herewithal  exhort  you  to  take 
heed  what  vou  receive  as  truth  ;  examine  it,  consider  it,  compare  it  with  the  other 
Scriptures  of  truth,  before  you  do  receive  it." — See  Magnolia,  p.  60. 

The  excellent  Robinson  did  not  expect,  that  God  had  less  "  truth  yet  to  break 
forth  out  of  his  holy  Word,"  than  Luther  and  Calvin  had  "  seen."     He  had  al- 


64 

ready  taken  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  Arminian  controversy.  "  Of  such  an  emi- 
nent character  was  he,  that  when  Arminianism  so  much  prevailed,  as  it  did  in  the 
Low  Countries,  those  famous  divines,  Polyander,  and  Festus  Hommius,  employed 
this  our  learned  Robinson  to  dispute  publicly  in  the  University  of  Leyden  against 
Episcopius,  and  the  other  champions  of  that  grand  choak-weed  of  true  Christianity." 
— See  Magnolia,  p.  46. 

For  remarks  upon  Robinson's  Views  of  Church  Government,  see  Upham's  Ratio 
Disciplinse,  §20. 

Z.     Page  45. 

"  The  settlement  of  New  England  was  a  result  of  the  Reformation  ;  not  of  the 
contest  between  the  new  opinions  and  of  the  authority  of  Rome,  but  of  implacable 
differences  between  protestant  dissenters  and  the  established  Anglican  church. 

"  Who  will  venture  to  measure  the  consequences  of  actions  by  the  humility  or 
the  remoteness  of  their  origin  ?  *  *■  *  A  young  French  refugee,  skilled  alike 
in  theology  and  civil  law,  in  the  duties  of  magistrates  and  the  dialectics  of  religious 
controversy,  entering  the  republic  of  Geneva,  and  conforming  its  ecclesiastical 
discipline  to  the  principles  of  republican  simplicity,  established  a  party,  of  which 
Englishmen  became  members,  and  New  England  the  asylum.  The  enfranchise- 
ment of  the  mind  from  religious  despotism,  led  directly  to  inquiries  into  the  nature 
of  civil  government ;  and  the  doctrines  of  popular  liberty,  which  sheltered  their 
infancy  in  the  wildernesses  of  the  newly  discovered  continent,  within  the  short 
space  of  two  centuries  have  infused  themselves  into  the  life-blood  of  every  rising 
state  from  Labrador  to  Chili,  established  out-posts  at  the  mouth  of  the  Oregon  and 
in  Liberia,  and,  making  a  proselyte  of  enlightened  Fiance,  have  disturbed  all  the 
ancient  governments  of  Europe,  and  awakened  the  public  mind  to  resistless  action 
from  the  shores  of  Portugal  to  the  palaces  of  the  Czars." — Bancroft's  History 
U.  S.  chap.  8. 


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